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3. Crushed By A Hospital Bill? Stand Up For Yourself

Most hospitals must offer free or reduced-cost care to certain patients, based on income, even if they have insurance. But some hospitals erect barriers to charity care, so it's up to patients to advocate for themselves. (Bernard J. Wolfson, 3/11)

4. Political Cartoon: 'A House or Your Health'

Kaiser Health News provides a fresh take on health policy developments with "Political Cartoon: 'A House or Your Health'" by Darrin Bell.

Here's today's health policy haiku:

BEYOND CONTAINMENT

How to fight virus:
Flatten the curve and embrace
Social distancing.

- Anonymous

If you have a health policy haiku to share, please Contact Us and let us know if you want us to include your name. Keep in mind that we give extra points if you link back to a KHN original story.

Summaries Of The News:

Global Health Watch

5. Trump's Payroll Tax Cut Idea Stumbles In Face Of Bipartisan Opposition, But Some Version Might End Up In Stimulus Package

"We had a good reception on Capitol Hill. We're going to be working with Republican and Democratic leadership to move a legislative package," Vice President Mike Pence said. What an economic package will look like, though, is unclear as of yet.

The New York Times: Talks Begin On Stimulus Plan As Trump Plays Down Virus Threat
President Trump and lawmakers began negotiations on Tuesday for an emergency relief package to bolster an economy battered by the coronavirus crisis, with lawmakers and administration officials expressing optimism despite partisan divisions about what to include. Mr. Trump, after weeks of playing down potential effects of the virus, called for a temporary elimination of payroll taxes that could cost nearly $700 billion, rivaling both the financial bailout of 2008 and the economic stimulus measure that followed. (Stolberg and Tankersley, 3/10)

Reuters: Washington Considers Actions To Bolster U.S. Economy As Coronavirus Cases Mount
As U.S. coronavirus cases rose steadily, the White House and Congress negotiated measures on Tuesday to bolster the U.S. economy and Americans' paychecks against the outbreak's impact, although there was no immediate sign of a deal. The rise in the number of U.S. cases of COVID-19, a highly contagious and sometimes fatal respiratory illness, has concerned health officials and spurred calls within Congress for action to expand testing and avert an economic meltdown. (Holland and Cowan, 3/11)

The Associated Press: Lawmakers Resist Trump's Proposed Payroll Tax Break
President Donald Trump's proposed payroll tax break met with bipartisan resistance on Capitol Hill as pressure mounts on the administration and Congress to work more vigorously to contain the coronavirus outbreak and respond to the financial fallout. Flanked by his economic team, Trump on Tuesday pitched his economic stimulus ideas privately to wary Senate Republicans on another grueling day in the struggle against expanding infections. (Mascaro and Miller, 3/11)

Roll Call: Tax Cut Plan Hits Rough Patch As Trump, Lawmakers Talk Stimulus
President Donald Trump's push for some form of payroll tax holiday is stumbling out of the gate as lawmakers and the White House try to cobble together a quick stimulus package to help those adversely affected by the COVID-19 virus. The president wants to cut the Social Security payroll tax, currently 6.2 percent paid by workers and employers on the first $137,700 in wages, to as low as zero through Dec. 31, according to a senior administration official. The White House is also looking at an option to cut only the employee share of the Social Security tax to 2 percent, so clearly the parameters are still the topic of debate. (Lerman and Sword, 3/10)

ABC News: Trump Pushes Economic Relief Amid Coronavirus Crisis: Stay Calm And 'It Will Go Away'
In a brief appearance at a White House coronavirus briefing Monday evening, the president said reporters would be told more on Tuesday about what he called "very major" and "very substantial" proposals to deal with the novel coronavirus outbreak, which he has tried to downplay. U.S. cases jumped overnight to more than 750 infected across 36 states, leaving at least 26 Americans dead. (Cathey, 3/10)

Politico: Trump Seeks 'Big' Stimulus Steps But Aides Are Skeptical
At a meeting of top economic officials on Monday night, the president and aides like Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow and Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget Russ Vought all broadly agreed on ideas such as paid sick leave for hourly workers and loans for small businesses affected by the coronavirus, according to two administration officials briefed on the meeting. But Mnuchin, Kudlow and Vought were far less enthusiastic about the temporary payroll tax cut idea, arguing it is too early to take that kind of measure. "The president seems to like the idea, but there are a number of people around him who were not as enamored of it," said one administration official. (Cook, 3/10)

Politico: Dems Press Ahead On Coronavirus Package As Senate Waits For Trump
President Donald Trump presented Republican senators with several potential actions Congress could take as lawmakers look to avert disastrous economic impacts from the virus — but he did not offer a specific legislative package during their hour-long lunch meeting on Tuesday, according to several attendees. Trump — who was accompanied by Vice President Mike Pence, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and chief economic adviser Larry Kudlow — was eager to show that he was taking charge of the federal response to the burgeoning crisis, including the potential financial fallout associated with it. He rattled off a list of ideas to try to mitigate the economic damage from the outbreak, which is dominating the national dialogue just eight months before he asks voters for a second term. (Caygle, Desidrio and Bresnahan, 3/10)

Los Angeles Times: Coronavirus: Trump Lobbies Republicans On Economic Stimulus
In the first sign of bipartisan cooperation to address the growing health crisis, Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin was dispatched to begin negotiating an economic package with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco). The pairing of Mnuchin and Pelosi (D-San Francisco) on a coronavirus bill comes as Republicans and Democrats are at loggerheads on an economic response. In addition to the payroll tax cut, the White House supports tax relief for the travel and tourism industries. (Haberkorn, 3/10)

Modern Healthcare: Healthcare Not Top Priority In COVID-19 Economic Relief Talks
While lawmakers came together to quickly pass emergency funding to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak, a larger package to address economic fallout from the outbreak is shaping up to be a partisan fight with little focus on healthcare. President Donald Trump on Monday said he plans to call for Congress to pass a payroll tax cut and relief for hourly wage earners, small businesses and the airline and cruise industries. But Democrats prefer an approach that would expand paid sick and family leave and unemployment insurance for those impacted by COVID-19, ensure free testing for the coronavirus and address food insecurity in case of school closures. (Cohrs, 3/10)

The Wall Street Journal: Trump Struggles To Balance Mitigating Epidemic, Protecting Economy
The White House has struggled to strike a balance between mitigating the epidemic and protecting the economy. It swiftly cut off travel to affected countries, which seemed overly aggressive at the time but no longer does. It has since bent over backward to downplay the risk and prevalence of the disease in the U.S., at times with misleading information. Mr. Trump's focus on the stock market led him to insist that the main economic remedy was for the Fed to cut interest rates. He is still obsessed. On Tuesday he renewed attacks on the Fed, calling on it again to lower rates more than it has done so far. "Our pathetic, slow moving Federal Reserve, headed by Jay Powell, who raised rates too fast and lowered too late, should get our Fed Rate down to the levels of our competitor nations," he tweeted. (Ip, 3/10)

The New York Times: It's Not 9/11 Or A Housing Crash. So What's The Coronavirus Fiscal Playbook?
The government can't prevent the coronavirus from damaging the U.S. economy. The usual tools that economic policymakers rely on, like tax cuts and stimulus spending, won't restore canceled conferences, unclog supply chains or persuade wary consumers to go out to bars and restaurants. Even if such policies would help, they conflict with the advice of health officials who are urging "social distancing" to slow the spread of the virus. (Casselman, 3/10)

The Hill: Trump Officials Considering Extending Tax-Filing Deadline Over Coronavirus: Report
The Trump administration is reportedly considering pushing back the April 15 tax-filing deadline as part of an effort to dampen the effects of coronavirus on American households and businesses. The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday night, citing two sources, that the administration is likely to extend the deadline. The newspaper reported that no decision has been finalized. (Byrnes, 3/11)

6. Campaigns Taking Large-Scale Measures To Curb Exposure, But Candidates Are Still Shaking Hands

Both Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and former Vice President Joe Biden canceled events as fears over an ever-spreading U.S. outbreak grow. Both candidates are in their 70s, a particularly hard-hit population with this particular virus, yet they are still interacting freely with the public.

The New York Times: As Coronavirus Worries Grow, Biden And Sanders Have Kept Shaking Hands
Outside a polling place, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont did a few fist bumps. He clasped some shoulders. There were high fives and, yes, he shook a couple hands. At an auto plant that is under construction, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. shook hands and posed for pictures as workers in hard hats and fluorescent vests crowded around him. Fears about the coronavirus, which is often spread through person-to-person interaction, led Mr. Sanders's campaign to announce on Tuesday afternoon that it was canceling a rally that night in Cleveland. Soon after, Mr. Biden's campaign canceled its own Tuesday night rally in Cleveland. (Epstein and Kaplan, 3/10)

The Associated Press: Sanders, Biden Cancel Ohio Rallies Over Coronavirus Concerns
The Democratic National Committee also announced that the party's next debate, being held Sunday in Arizona, would not have a live audience, "at the request of both campaigns and out of an abundance of caution. "The moves suggest the coronavirus could upend the Democratic primary at a pivotal time in the race for both candidates. Sanders is trying to regain some momentum in the latest round of voting Tuesday night, while the former vice president is looking to further pad his delegate lead. (Jaffe and Weissert, 3/10)

The New York Times: Sanders And Biden Cancel Events As Coronavirus Fears Upend Primary
The disruption to traditional campaigning was the first powerful sign that the virus is changing American politics, coming at the height of a primary season as Senator Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. battle for the Democratic nomination. Mr. Sanders especially relies on huge rallies to energize his base of younger voters — the kind of barnstorming he needs to halt Mr. Biden's growing momentum in the race. Mr. Sanders, quickly followed by Mr. Biden, called off events scheduled for Ohio just hours before they were set to begin and as the candidates awaited the results of voting in six other states. Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio, a Republican, had asked earlier Tuesday for all major indoor events to be canceled. The Sanders and Biden campaigns indicated they would evaluate future events; the Biden campaign added one for Tuesday night in Philadelphia. (Ember, Karni and Haberman, 3/10)

Roll Call: Campaigns Grapple With Uncertainty Amid New Coronavirus Concerns
While some who had contact with people known to have the virus announced plans to self-quarantine, lawmakers running for reelection so far say they're monitoring advice from public health officials before deciding their next steps. But one thing is clear: In the world of campaign staffs huddled in war rooms and candidates out glad-handing and kissing babies, this is uncharted territory. "There is a heightened sense of urgency in terms of management of campaign staff that I have never seen," said Alex Slater, a Democratic donor and fundraiser who founded the consulting and PR firm the Clyde Group. (Bowman, Ackley and Akin, 3/10)

The Baltimore Sun: Campaigning In The Time Of Coronavirus: Baltimore Mayoral Candidates Embrace Hand Sanitizer, The Elbow Bump
Politicians on the campaign trail are all about shaking hands and kissing babies. But with heightened concerns about the new coronavirus, Baltimore's mayoral candidates are making some adjustments. They're arming themselves with Purell, going in for the elbow bump and reminding both voters and volunteers to get any symptoms checked out. Others are talking about how they'd handle the crisis if they were in office. (Richman, 3/11)

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 'It's Surreal.' Coronavirus Casts A Pall On Georgia Politics
With hundreds of Republicans packed into the same tight space for a rally for U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler, the question was bound to come up: Should candidates even hold such a crammed event with concerns about the spread of coronavirus? Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, on hand to endorse the Georgia senator, downplayed the concern. But it underscored how coronavirus, which has sickened more than a dozen people in Georgia and triggered other widespread changes, is also shadowing the state's politics. (Bluestein, 3/10)

7. 'I'm Not Concerned At All': Trump Does Little To Change His Routine Amid Coronavirus Exposure Fears

Despite the fact that there is a chance President Donald Trump was exposed second-hand to a patient with coronavirus at CPAC, Trump seems to want to send a message to Americans that he's not worried. Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) remained adamant that she won't close the Capitol, despite the higher risk lawmakers are facing because they travel so much. "We are the captains of the ship. We are the last to leave," she said.

The Associated Press: As Americans Take Virus Precautions, Trump Flouts Advice
At the Pentagon, top military brass have been begun "social distancing" to avoid spreading disease. At the Capitol, legislators have been encouraged to forgo hand shakes and flash the "Star Trek" Vulcan greeting instead. But at the White House, President Donald Trump is flouting his own government's advice on how to stay safe. He continues to shake hands with supporters and visitors, hold large events and minimize the threat posed by a coronavirus outbreak that has infected more than 115,000 people and killed over 4,000 worldwide. (Colvin, 3/10)

Politico: Trump's Life During Coronavirus: Same Routine, More Purell
Before President Donald Trump took photos with about 100 VIP donors at his South Florida Mar-a-Lago resort Sunday afternoon, staffers gave them each a squirt of hand sanitizer and a form to list recent international travel. That was the exception. As the novel coronavirus quickly spreads across the U.S., schools are closing, employees are working remotely and major conferences are being canceled. But for the White House and Trump, changes have been limited — and inconsistent. (Kumar, 3/10)

Roll Call: Trump Talks About His Contact With Now Self-Quarantined Members
President Donald Trump told reporters on Tuesday that getting tested for COVID-19 is "not a big deal" after recently coming in contact with two members of Congress who are now under self-imposed quarantine. GOP Reps. Matt Gaetz and Doug Collins were informed that they had come in contact with an attendee at the CPAC conference who later tested positive for the disease transmitted by the novel coronavirus. Both were in contact with Trump days after the conference but before they knew of the potential exposure. While Gaetz has since tested negative for the disease, he is one of several members under quarantine at home. (MacGillivray, 3/10)

The Washington Post: Two Trump Allies Got Coronavirus Tests Despite Shortage And Lack Of Symptoms
Two close congressional allies of President Trump underwent coronavirus testing in recent days in apparent defiance of federal recommendations reserving those tests for patients exhibiting symptoms of infection — and amid growing concerns about the availability of testing for Americans who are sick. Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), the latter of whom Trump named last week as the next White House chief of staff, both said in statements that the tests showed no infection after exposure to a coronavirus carrier at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference last month in suburban Washington. (DeBonis and Johnson, 3/10)

The New York Times: Avoid Flights And Crowds? Try Telling That To Congress
Public health officials concerned about the new coronavirus have been warning people over 65 to avoid crowds, limit physical contact with others and skip "nonessential travel." Yet this week, a group of Americans 65 and older who fly frequently between cities — shaking hands with many strangers as they go — have been meeting in large groups to conduct their work. Between the U.S. House and Senate, there are almost 200 of them. When a reporter in the Capitol asked Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma, 85, what precautions he was taking to protect himself from the disease known as Covid-19, he said none — and extended his arm with confidence: "Wanna shake hands?" (Fandos and Sanger-Katz, 3/11)

The Hill: Pelosi Stands Firm Amid Calls To Close Capitol
Business in the Capitol will carry on amid coronavirus concerns. With the outbreak sparking chaos around the globe, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Tuesday sought to calm volatile financial markets and an anxious American public, declaring that House lawmakers would neither flee the Capitol nor extend next week's recess. "We are the captains of the ship. We are the last to leave," she told rank-and-file Democrats in a closed-door meeting in the basement of the building, according to multiple sources in the room. (Wong and Lillis, 3/10)

Elsewhere on Capitol Hill —

Politico: Pelosi Joins Asian American Lawmakers In Demanding McCarthy Apology For 'Bigoted' Tweet
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is taking heat for calling Covid-19 the "Chinese coronavirus'' in a recent tweet — a reference that prompted the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to demand an apology Tuesday. "Calling the 2019 novel coronavirus the 'Chinese' or 'Wuhan' coronavirus is as descriptive as calling it the 'CPAC coronavirus' — that is to say not descriptive at all,'' CAPAC Chairwoman Rep. Judy Chu, the first Chinese American woman elected to Congress, said in a statement. "Worse, it's harmful.'' (Marinucci, 3/10)

8. U.S. Tops 1,000 Cases In Grim Milestone, But Experts Say Real Infection Count Is Much Higher Due To Spotty Testing

Out of the more than 1,000 cases in the country at least 28 people have died from the disease. Many experts predict those numbers will get exponentially worse once testing ramps up. Meanwhile, governors are scrambling to slow its inevitable spread and are having to reach out to a federal administration with whom they've been at odds.

The New York Times: 'It's Just Everywhere Already': How Delays In Testing Set Back The U.S. Coronavirus Response
Even now, after weeks of mounting frustration toward federal agencies over flawed test kits and burdensome rules, states with growing cases such as New York and California are struggling to test widely for the coronavirus. The continued delays have made it impossible for officials to get a true picture of the scale of the growing outbreak, which has now spread to at least 36 states and Washington, D.C. Dr. Robert R. Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in an interview on Friday that acting quickly was critical for combating an outbreak. "Time matters," he said. He insisted that despite the rocky start, there was still time to beat back the coronavirus in the United States. "It's going to take rigorous, aggressive public health — what I like to say, block and tackle, block and tackle, block and tackle, block and tackle," he said. "That means if you find a new case, you isolate it." (Fink and Baker, 3/10)

The Hill: Coronavirus Cases In US Top 1,000
The number of known cases of the coronavirus in the U.S. has topped 1,000 as of Tuesday night, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University. The first case was confirmed in Washington in January, but the outbreak has since spread across the state as well as the country, hitting mainly California and New York but also impacting states such as Massachusetts and South Dakota. (Axelrod, 3/10)

Los Angeles Times: True Number Of U.S. Coronavirus Cases Is Far Above Official Tally, Scientists Say
An analysis of the novel coronavirus' spread inside the United States suggests that thousands of Americans are already infected, dimming the prospects for stomping out the outbreak in its earliest stages. Researchers estimate that by March 1, the virus had already infected about 1,000 to 10,000 people who have not yet been accounted for. At the start of this month, about 80 U.S. cases had been confirmed and officials were still expressing confidence they could contain the new virus. (Healy, 3/10)

Politico: U.S. Tops Grim Coronavirus Milestone: 1,000 Cases
Hopkins compiled the numbers using data from local and national health departments including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has lagged the Hopkins count, and from local news reports of confirmed cases. The count has risen in part because hospitals, labs and other public health facilities finally now have access to more testing kits after weeks of confusion and delay. Public health experts believe the ongoing testing problems mean that unknown numbers of cases have gone undetected. At least 28 people have died from the disease in the United States, according to the Hopkins database, though public health officials expect that toll to rise. (Choi, 3/10)

USA Today: Coronavirus: Former FDA Chief Warns Of Sharp Increase In US Cases
Former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb warned there will likely be a dramatic acceleration of U.S. coronavirus cases the next two weeks as more testing detects new infections. Gottlieb said the federal government should have coordinated with both academic and private industry labs to begin testing sooner for the respiratory virus rather than rely solely on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's test kits. "The mistake we made is we took a very linear approach rather than an all-of-the-above approach," Gottlieb said during an editorial board meeting Monday with USA TODAY. (Alltucker and O'Donnell, 3/10)

The New York Times: Governors Seeking Coronavirus Help Can't Keep Trump At Arm's Length
Vice President Mike Pence, fresh from a conference call with nearly all of the nation's governors, spoke this week about how much those governors appreciated President Trump's leadership in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak. "The president's leadership has made the difference here," Mr. Pence said at a White House news conference on Monday. "I heard it again today from 47 governors." On the whole, the feelings of America's governors, whose health departments are on the front line of the escalating health crisis, are complicated when it comes to Mr. Trump and his federal response to the outbreak. (Fausset and Bosman, 3/11)

The Associated Press: US States Race To Contain Coronavirus As Cases Near 1,000
As coronavirus cases crop up across the United States, some governors and other leaders are scrambling to slow its spread, banning large public gatherings, enforcing quarantines and calling National Guard troops. With new deaths reported and the number of confirmed U.S. cases closing in on 1,000, lawmakers and health officials set up containment zones and quarantine areas and sought to limit contact with those who might be infected. (Villanueve and Rodriguez, 3/11)

Stat: U.S. Cities Are Braced For The Coronavirus. Seattle Is Already In The Thick Of It
As much of the United States prepares to see large clusters of Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus that's circling the globe, this city and the surrounding area are already in the thick of it. As of Tuesday afternoon, 190 people had tested positive for the coronavirus in King County, which includes Seattle, and 22 had died, including the first fatal case in the country. State and local health officials here have already issued emergency declarations, set up quarantine sites, and asked the public to avoid large, nonessential gatherings. (Buch, 3/10)

9. Looming Shortage In Lab Materials Could Delay Testing Even Further; Government Promises Mores Kits Are On The Way

One key chemical that is used to isolate the virus' genetic material, or RNA, so that it can be tested is in dwindling supply. Meanwhile, Vice President Mike Pence promised there are more tests being made available to states, and HHS Secretary Alex Azar said the government is now working to create a reporting system to help "keep track of how many we're testing." Meanwhile, the American Medical Association promised to fast-track a proposal to create a billing code for the tests.

Politico: Exclusive: U.S. Coronavirus Testing Threatened By Shortage Of Critical Lab Materials
A looming shortage in lab materials is threatening to delay coronavirus test results and cause officials to undercount the number of Americans with the virus. The slow pace of coronavirus testing has created a major gap in the U.S. public health response. The latest problem involves an inability to prepare samples for testing, creating uncertainties in how long it will take to get results. CDC Director Robert Redfield told POLITICO on Tuesday that he is not confident that U.S. labs have an adequate stock of the supplies used to extract genetic material from any virus in a patient's sample — a critical step in coronavirus testing. (Lim and Ehley, 3/10)

Stat: Shortage Of Crucial Chemicals Creates New Obstacle To Coronavirus Testing
The push to increase testing in the U.S. for the novel coronavirus that causes Covid-19 has hit a new stumbling block: shortages of key chemicals needed to start up and run the tests. In particular, one key product, made by the diagnostics testing giant Qiagen, is in dwindling supply. The chemical is used to isolate the virus' genetic material, or RNA, so that it can be tested. (Herper and Branswell, 3/10)

ABC News: Coronavirus Testing On The Rise In US, But Experts Say It's Not Enough
As state and federal officials race to mitigate the spread of novel coronavirus, an ABC News analysis of all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico indicates more than 6,600 tests for the disease have been administered across the country -- a figure that continues to sharply rise as testing kits become more readily available. Officials in Washington, the state hit hardest by the virus thus far, have tested more than 1,300 patients. California has tested more than 900 patients, while Florida, Oregon, New York, Illinois, Colorado and Texas have each tested more than 100 patients. (Bruggeman, 3/10)

NPR: Don't Expect A Coronavirus Test Just Because Your Doctor Requests It
In the face of mixed messages and confusion about who can or should be tested for the coronavirus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted updated guidance for doctors Sunday about when to test a patient. The short answer is, if your doctor feels a test is appropriate, he or she can request the test. But a request doesn't guarantee that you'll get one. Confused? You're not alone. (Harris, 3/11)

Reuters: French Group Biomerieux Launches Three Coronavirus Tests
French healthcare company Biomerieux announced on Wednesday the launch of three tests to help fight a coronavirus that has killed thousands worldwide, and the updates lifted BioMerieux's shares. BioMerieux, which provides diagnostic solutions to identify the source of disease, said it had finalised development of a SARS-CoV-2 R-GENE test that is expected to get a European 'CE' mark. (3/11)

Modern Healthcare: AMA Fast-Tracks Code To Bill For Coronavirus Testing
The American Medical Association said Tuesday it will hold a special meeting this week to consider a new administrative code for labs and providers to report novel coronavirus testing to insurers. A specific code for coronavirus testing will help streamline reporting of the COVID-19 outbreak, according to the AMA. The association's long-standing Current Procedural Terminology coding system is widely used to process insurance claims. The CMS also recently announced two billing codes to be used by laboratories when testing for the virus. (Castellucci, 3/10)

The Associated Press: At White House, Insurers Again Pledge No-Cost Virus Tests
Major insurers pledged to cover coronavirus tests at no cost to patients at the White House Tuesday, but those assurances — while welcome — may not resolve public concerns about testing. For one, insurers can't control the availability of the tests themselves. While the capacity for labs to test more patients is growing daily, the U.S. still has nowhere near the capacity for millions of tests that public health officials say are needed. (3/10)

Modern Healthcare: Cigna Extends Free Coronavirus Tests To Self-Funded Employer Plans
The potential costs for the testing and treatment of coronavirus could deter some Americans from seeking medical care, public health experts worry. Several states, including New York and Washington, have moved to tackle one of those issues by ordering health insurers to waive out-of-pocket costs for COVID-19 medical tests and certain other services. (Livingston, 3/10)

10. A Tale Of Two States: California Shifts Towards Mitigation Over Containment While New York Sends In National Guard

California and New York are two of the states that have seen the most cases. Officials in California say the "cat is out of the bag" when it comes to community spread, and it is focusing on mitigation strategies like canceling large events. In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has created a one-mile containment zone to try to stop the spread in a community that was particularly hard hit.

Los Angeles Times: California Retreats From Containment, New York Sends In National Guard
In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo sent the National Guard to a suburban enclave northeast of New York City to prevent COVID-19 from infecting more people there, after 108 residents tested positive in recent days. In Santa Clara, where California is experiencing its largest outbreak of the virus with 45 positive cases confirmed, health officials continued to direct residents not to congregate, following a ban on large events earlier this week. (Chabria, Gutierrez, Baumgaertner and Karlamangla, 3/11)

The Washington Post: Coronavirus: Schools Close, National Guard Deployed To Help New York Suburb Stem Spread Of Disease
New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo took the country's most drastic steps to curb the spread of the coronavirus Tuesday, ordering the closure of schools and other gathering places within a one-mile radius in this New York suburb. The creation of what he called a "containment zone" for two weeks will keep about half the city's 10,500 students at home and will allow the National Guard to sanitize public spaces. (Guarino, Bailey, Meckler and Zezima, 3/10)

The New York Times: Coronavirus In N.Y.: 'Containment Area' Is Ordered For New Rochelle
The National Guard will move in. Schools, churches and synagogues will be shut down. Large indoor gatherings will be officially banned. The sights and rituals of life in this New York City suburb, which had already been altered, took an eerie turn on Tuesday when Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced a drastic new step to try to control the spread of the coronavirus in the largest cluster in the United States. (Nir and McKinley, 3/10)

Associated Press: National Guard Sent Into New York Suburb To Help Control Virus
New York's governor announced Tuesday he is sending the National Guard into a New York City suburb to help fight what is believed to be the nation's biggest cluster of coronavirus cases — one of the most dramatic actions yet to control the outbreak in the United States. The move came as health authorities contended with alarming bunches of infections on both sides of the country and scattered cases in between. (Villeneuve and Rodriguez, 3/10)

The Wall Street Journal: Containment Area Planned For New York Suburb To Stem Coronavirus Spread
Now this Westchester County suburb has become ground zero for one of the largest efforts in the country to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. Many residents are in quarantine. Businesses are struggling to get customers in the door. And on Thursday, New York state plans to close schools for two weeks in a roughly three-square-mile area of New Rochelle and limit large public gatherings, officials said. People would be able to enter and exit the zone and move about within it. Restaurants and businesses would remain open, officials said, but facilities such as houses of worship and schools would be closed. (Vielkind, Brody and Paris, 3/10)

CBS News: New York Has 173 Cases Of Coronavirus — Among The Highest In The U.S.
As the total number of cases of coronavirus in the U.S. continues to rise, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said New York now has at least 173 cases — making it among one of the states with the largest number of confirmed cases in the country. In New York, 108 cases are in Westchester County, with New York City and Nassau County following with 36 and 19 cases, respectively, according to officials. Rockland county has six cases, Saratoga has two, Suffolk and Ulster each have one. (Lewis, 3/10)

The Wall Street Journal: New York City Eyes Measures To Stop Virus Spread To Jails
New York City correctional officials said Tuesday they were preparing measures to stop the coronavirus from infecting staff and prisoners at jails that experts said could become incubators for the rapidly-spreading disease. The Department of Correction is focused on keeping its jail cells and shared space clean, screening visitors for symptoms, raising awareness with posters about avoiding the disease and encouraging inmates to keep a physical distance from each other, officials said. (Paul, 3/10)

The Wall Street Journal: Coronavirus Could Sap New York's Tax Revenue, Cuomo Says
New York lawmakers, facing a $6 billion budget deficit, began the month with an optimistic projection. Stock markets were doing well, Wall Street bonuses were coming in strong, and lawmakers could plug some of the gap by assuming another $700 million in revenue was coming. Also at the beginning of the month, the state confirmed its first case of novel coronavirus. (Vielkind, 3/10)

San Francisco Chronicle: Bay Area Counties Shift Coronavirus Stance: It Can Be Slowed, But Not Contained
Coronavirus cases have blown up across Northern California in the past week, and counties increasingly are refocusing from aggressive containment of the disease to acceptance that it's in the community and their limited resources are better spent on slowing down its spread. On Tuesday, Sacramento County reported its first death, and the third in the state. The victim in their 90s with underlying health problems was a resident of an assisted living facility. The same day, the county announced it would no longer conduct extensive investigations on every new case of COVID-19 — the disease caused by coronavirus — and that people who have contact with a known case will no longer be asked to quarantine for two weeks. (Allday, 3/10)

Los Angeles Times: Why Bay Area Coronavirus Warnings Are Stricter Than L.A. Area's
Up to now, some Bay Area public health agencies have been more aggressive than those in Los Angeles and some other counties in issuing coronavirus-related restrictions. But that could be about to change. With the first case of the coronavirus believed to be transmitted within the community now reported in Los Angeles County, the experiences in the San Francisco Bay Area may offer a glimpse for what Southern California is in for. (Lin and Shalby, 3/10)

NPR: Coronavirus: Sacramento County Gives Up On Automatic 14-Day Quarantines
California's Sacramento County is calling off automatic 14-day quarantines that have been implemented for the coronavirus, saying it will focus instead on mitigating the impact of COVID-19. The change is an acknowledgement that the county cannot effectively manage the quarantines while its health system copes with coronavirus cases. It also reflects problems with the U.S. government's coronavirus testing program — issues that slowed efforts to identify people with the deadly virus and to contain COVID-19. (Chappell, 3/10)

Los Angeles Times: Northern California Woman Dies Of Coronavirus In Senior Facility
An elderly patient in a northern California assisted living facility has died of the novel coronavirus, sparking fears of an outbreak among other residents of the facility and renewing concerns about statewide availability of testing kits to detect the virus. Sacramento County health officials announced Tuesday that a patient in her 90s was the county's first fatality from COVID-19. The Sacramento Bee identified the facility as Carlton Senior Living. (Chabria, 3/10)

KQED: Coronavirus: As Cases In California Climb, Newsom Addresses Testing Concerns
In a wide-ranging press conference, Gov. Gavin Newsom said that 157 people in California have now tested positive for the new coronavirus. The governor also detailed the latest steps California is taking to ramp up testing, implement social distancing guidance, and prepare for school closures, while processing passengers from the Grand Princess cruise — 21 of whom are confirmed to have COVID-19. (Stark, 3/10)

Los Angeles Times: L.A. School Board Weighs Emergency Declaration For Coronavirus
The Los Angeles Board of Education on Tuesday declared a state of emergency, giving Supt. Austin Beutner the authority to take actions needed to close schools if necessary in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The action is seen as a precaution that would allow Beutner to act quickly as the need arises in the nation's second-largest school district. As of Tuesday night, there were no plans to close schools and no individual diagnosed with COVID-19 had a connection to an L.A. Unified school, according to the district. (Blume and Kohli, 3/10)

Los Angeles Times: California Coronavirus: Silicon Valley Bans Gatherings Of 1,000 Or More
With Silicon Valley reporting a rapidly rising number of confirmed coronavirus cases, the health officer for Santa Clara County issued a rare legal order banning mass gatherings of 1,000 or more people. Santa Clara County, with 43 confirmed coronavirus cases and one death, has California's largest number of confirmed infections. After declining an earlier recommendation to halt mass gatherings late last week, the San Jose Sharks said the team would abide by the county's new order at SAP Center in downtown San Jose, which is enforceable by the county sheriff and city police agencies. (Lin, 3/10)

The Hill: Three TSA Employees In California Test Positive For Coronavirus
Three employees with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in California tested positive for the coronavirus, the agency confirmed Tuesday. The employees, who work at Mineta San Jose International Airport in Santa Clara County, and all other workers they came in contact with over the past two weeks are quarantined at home. (Axelrod, 3/11)

Reuters: Passengers Plod Off Coronavirus-Stricken Cruise Ship In Face Masks In California
Hundreds of travelers who boarded a cruise liner for Hawaii last month in sandals and sunglasses trudged off the coronavirus-stricken ship in face masks at the Port of Oakland, California, on Tuesday, headed to quarantine sites around the country. The tightly controlled disembarkation began on Monday, hours after the cruise ship Grand Princess arrived at a specially secured terminal across San Francisco Bay from its home port amid cheers from weary passengers who had spent days at sea confined to their staterooms. (3/10)

San Francisco Chronicle: SF Archdiocese Shutters 90 Schools After Student Tests Positive For The Coronavirus
The Archdiocese of San Francisco announced the closure of all its schools after a student tested positive for the coronavirus.The 90 schools in San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin counties will shut down Mar. 12 through Mar. 25, said Pamela Lyons, superintendent of schools in a letter to families Tuesday. The announcement did not identify the school the student attends, but the principal of Riordan High School in San Francisco confirmed that a student there tested positive for the virus Sunday. (Tucker, 3/10)

San Francisco Chronicle: Ro Khanna's Bay Area District Is Being Hit By Coronavirus. He Says Congress Must Do More
Fremont Rep. Ro Khanna's district has been one of the hardest hit in the country by the novel coronavirus.Santa Clara County, which covers much of Khanna's 17th Congressional District, reported 43 cases as of Tuesday, the most in California. There are at least 153 cases across the state.Khanna says Congress isn't doing enough to stop the virus from spreading. The Chronicle spoke with him Monday about his push to increase emergency funding and quell racist sentiments during the outbreak. Here are highlights from the interview, which has been condensed for space purposes and clarity. (Gardiner, 3/10)

11. Day-Long Email Crash Crippled Federal Health Offices As Coronavirus Was First Gaining Grounds In U.S.

A test of CMS's email crashed the system on Feb. 23, frustrating health officials just as they were trying to negotiate the first bloom of the coronavirus in the United States. Meanwhile, CDC Director Robert Redfield counters claims that closing the borders would help prevent the spread of the virus.

Politico: Exclusive: Email Crash Impeded HHS Response To Coronavirus
As health department officials worked quickly to negotiate an emergency funding package to fight the spreading coronavirus outbreak on Feb. 23, they came to a frustrating realization: Their email system had crashed. The outage in the Health and Human Services secretary's office stretched on much of the day, with some messages delayed up to 11 hours, creating frustration and slowing the Trump administration's coronavirus response. (Diamond, 3/10)

Politico: CDC Director Breaks With Trump On Claim That Border Wall Will Help Stop Coronavirus
Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Tuesday he was unaware of any indication from his agency that physical barriers along America's borders would help halt the spread of the coronavirus in the U.S. — contradicting an assertion President Donald Trump made earlier in the day. Appearing before House lawmakers to testify about the public health crisis and the White House's budget request for his agency, Redfield was asked by Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) whether the CDC's recommendations for combating the coronavirus addressed whether "structural barriers" at the borders "would be of any use in mitigating" the growing outbreak. (Forgey, 3/10)

And in other news about the government —

The Washington Post: Federal Government Telework Could Become More Widespread To Limit Coronavirus Outbreak
The Trump administration is racing to develop contingency plans that would allow hundreds of thousands of employees to work remotely full time, an extreme scenario to limit the coronavirus that would test whether the government can carry out its mission from home offices and kitchen tables. The Office of Personnel Management, which oversees policy for the workforce of 2.1 million, has urged agency heads in recent days to "immediately review" their telework policies, sign paperwork with employees laying out their duties, issue ­laptops and grant access to computer networks. (Rein, 3/10)

The Wall Street Journal: Coronavirus Cancels Vote At Federal Regulator
A federal regulator canceled a planned public vote this week in which officials were expected to give some companies relief from audit requirements after an employee was referred for novel coronavirus testing. The Securities and Exchange Commission's move highlights a new front in the growing spectrum of potential impacts from the coronavirus: the possibility that its spread in the nation's capital could slow down routine government policy-making. (Kiernan, 3/10)

12. Despite Repeated Calls To Replenish Supplies, A Shortage Exists Of Specialized Masks To Protect Medical Personnel

Limited funding forced emergency preparedness officials to focus on other supplies needed for the Strategic National Stockpile. In response, the CDC loosens its recommendations on masks. Also, a union representing airport workers is requesting better masks and Amazon tries to battle counterfeit coronavirus products.

The Washington Post: Face Masks In National Stockpile Have Not Been Substantially Replenished Since 2009
The H1N1 influenza pandemic of 2009 triggered the largest deployment in U.S. history of the Strategic National Stockpile, the federal government's last-resort cache of drugs and medical supplies. The stockpile distributed 85 million N95 respirators — fitted face masks that block most airborne particles — along with millions of other masks, gowns and gloves. The gear to protect medical personnel came from multibillion dollar emergency funding authorized by Congress in 2007 and 2009, leading to calls for the government to better prepare for the next outbreak. (Reinhard and Brown, 3/10)

The Washington Post: CDC Says Surgical Masks Can Replace N95 Masks For Coronavirus Protection In Some Cases
A shortage of specialized masks has prompted federal health officials to loosen their recommendations on the face protection that front line health-care workers should use to prevent infection from the highly contagious disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Instead of recommending that health-care workers use specialized masks known as N95 respirators, which filter out about 95 percent of airborne particles, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted new guidelines Tuesday that said "the supply chain of respirators cannot meet demand" and that looser fitting surgical face masks "are an acceptable alternative." (Sun, 3/10)

Reuters: To Limit Coronavirus Exposure, U.S. Airport Security Screeners Push For Better Masks
A union representing U.S. airport security screeners is urging the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to supply more effective masks to protect against the spread of the new coronavirus, union leadership told Reuters on Tuesday. The union, the AFGE TSA Council 100, which represents about 45,000 transportation security officers at airports across the United States, sent an email on Tuesday morning to TSA Administrator David Pekoske calling on the agency to provide the masks to workers. The email has not been previously reported. (Hesson, 3/11)

The Wall Street Journal: Amazon Battles Counterfeit Masks, $400 Hand Sanitizer Amid Virus Panic
As the coronavirus outbreak expanded across the globe, anxious shoppers turned to Amazon.com Inc. for face masks, hand sanitizer and other products promising to help protect against the virus. The problem: Many didn't have federal certifications for the safety standards they were touting, some were counterfeit or deceptively labeled, and others were being sold at many times their usual prices. More than 100 safety masks and respirators on Amazon were counterfeit or had unverifiable protection and certification claims, a Wall Street Journal investigation found. (Berzon and Hernandez, 3/11)

13. As Researchers Frantically Hunt For Treatment, Pharma Companies Wonder If Arthritis Drug Will Do The Trick

A very small study showed promising results with a drug that's similar to the Sanofi and Regeneron drug, called Kevzara, that treats arthritis. Several patients in the study "got out of death's bed and walked out of the hospital" after receiving Actemra, said a Regeneron scientist. The race for a treatment has sent pharma into a tizzy to be the first to strike on something that works. Meanwhile, other labs are working on creating an effective vaccine.

The Wall Street Journal: Regeneron, Sanofi To Test Arthritis Drug As Coronavirus Treatment
Drugmakers Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Sanofi SA are racing to launch clinical trials exploring whether their arthritis drug could treat symptoms of novel coronavirus infections. The study preparations mark the latest effort in an emerging front in researchers' hunt for effective treatments for Covid-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus. In the U.S., there aren't any drugs or vaccines approved for the condition. The research aims to see whether certain drugs already on the market to tackle immune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis could help ease damage to the lungs and respiratory system caused by the immune system's overreaction to the virus causing Covid-19. (Walker, 3/10)

NBC News: A New York Biotech Company Is Working To Make An Antibody Treatment For The Coronavirus
As the new coronavirus continues to envelop much of the globe, a lab outside New York City is racing to find a antibody treatment that could temporarily protect from the illness — or even treat it. The biotech company Regeneron is in early development of a treatment that could guard against catching the coronavirus for several months using antibodies from mice that have been genetically modified with immune systems to mimic those of humans. (Blackman and Ali, 3/10)

The Baltimore Sun: Maryland Labs Working On Coronavirus Vaccine
Two Maryland biotech firms said Tuesday they will join the effort to make a vaccine against the new coronavirus that is sickening people in the state and across the globe. Emergent BioSolutions Inc. will produce the experimental vaccine that was developed by Novavax Inc. to protect against COVID-19 by using a genetically engineered protein nanoparticle technology. (Cohn, 3/10)

Colorado Sun: Inside The Colorado State University Lab That Is Trying To Develop The World's First Vaccine For COVID-19
Welcome to Colorado State University's Research Innovation Center, where scientists study many of the world's scariest pathogens — including some carried by bats — and create medicines to protect humans and animals from them. Researchers here hope to be among the first in the world to create a vaccine for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. They are among a handful of teams across the globe racing to develop a vaccine in record-setting time. And, as early as this week, researchers at the center may be able to achieve a key, early step toward creating the vaccine. (Ingold, 3/10)

In other vaccine news —

The New York Times: A Call To Arms: Under Attack, Pro-Vaccine Doctors Fight Back
Brad Bigford, a traveling nurse practitioner from Boise, Idaho, jumped at the invitation: spend an afternoon at Fred's Reel Barber Shop in nearby Meridian, offering the flu vaccine to customers. "Ladies, send your guys for a trim and a flu shot," Mr. Bigford posted on Facebook. He added, "Anti-vaxxers need not reply." Within hours, his Facebook page was swarmed with hundreds of vitriolic comments, even violent threats from people opposed to vaccines. Vicious reviews on Yelp and Google about his urgent-care business, Table Rock Mobile Medicine, popped up from "patients" as far away as Los Angeles, Texas and Australia. Protesters circulated his cellphone number, hometown and wife's name. (Hoffman, 3/10)

14. White House To Meet With Big Tech To Discuss Best Ways To Fight Coronavirus

Facebook, Google, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft and Twitter are expected to participate in the meeting. Meanwhile, hospitals and doctors are being urged to fast-track their telemedicine plans.

The Hill: White House To Meet With Top Tech Companies About Coronavirus Response
The White House is set to meet with the country's top tech companies on Wednesday to discuss coordinating a coherent response to the new coronavirus, as social media platforms scramble to rein in an escalating wave of online misinformation about the illness. A spokeswoman with the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy confirmed to The Hill that White House officials, including U.S. Chief Technology Officer Michael Kratsios, are set to meet with tech industry representatives and federal agencies to "to discuss ways to coordinate on COVID19 response efforts" on Wednesday. (Birnbaum, 3/10)

Politico: White House To Huddle With Tech Firms On Coronavirus
Facebook, Google, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft and Twitter are all expected to participate in person or via teleconference, a spokesperson for the Office of Science and Technology Policy said. U.S. Chief Technology Officer Michael Kratsios will lead the meeting. It was not immediately clear whether other White House officials or agency representatives would participate. The internet companies have in many ways found themselves at the epicenter of the outbreak, both in person and online. Most of the major tech platforms restricted nonessential travel for employees and canceled their participation in major technology conferences to reduce the likelihood of community spread. (Overly, 3/10)

The New York Times: Doctors And Patients Turn To Telemedicine In The Coronavirus Outbreak
The man had recently traveled, including a brief stop in Tokyo. He had a fever and cough about a week ago, but was now feeling fine. He called the virtual medical line set up by Rush University Medical Center in Chicago recently to help screen patients for coronavirus. "He said all the right buzzwords: cough, fever, fatigue," said Dr. Meeta Shah, an emergency room physician at Rush. (Abelson, 3/11)

The Wall Street Journal: Coronavirus Prompts Hospitals To Fast-Track Telemedicine Projects
Hospital chief information officers, no strangers to emergencies, are putting in place new systems and workflows to get ahead of a growing coronavirus epidemic that threatens to tax limited resources and staff. Their tasks include greenlighting telemedicine projects to reduce expected patient gridlock, developing digital dashboards to speed triage, and testing and retesting systems expected to allow staff to work remotely. (Shah, 3/10)

15. Flattening The Curve And Social Distancing: Understanding The Drastic Measures That Experts Keep Talking About

Health experts have been vocal about how it is a make-it or break-it moment for America and that the outcome will rest on the country's ability to "flatten the curve" of the spread of the disease by "social distancing." What do those terms mean and what do they entail? Meanwhile, there's a lot of comparison between the flu and the coronavirus, but they're quite different illnesses. Scientists also take a look at the hardest-hit populations and how the fact that kids aren't getting critically sick can help them better understand the virus.

The New York Times: Flattening The Coronavirus Curve
At the end of February, Drew Harris, a population health analyst at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, had just flown across the country to visit his daughter in Eugene, Ore., when he saw an article on his Google news feed. It was from the Economist, and was about limiting the damage of the coronavirus. The accompanying art, by the visual-data journalist Rosamund Pearce, based on a graphic that had appeared in a C.D.C. paper titled "Community Mitigation Guidelines to Prevent Pandemic Influenza," showed what Dr. Harris called two epi curves. (Roberts, 3/11)

Stat: 'Flattening The Curve' May Be The World's Best Bet To Slow The Coronavirus
For many countries staring down fast-rising coronavirus case counts, the race is on to "flatten the curve. "The United States and other countries, experts say, are likely to be hit by tsunamis of Covid-19 cases in the coming weeks without aggressive public health responses. But by taking certain steps — canceling large public gatherings, for instance, and encouraging some people to restrict their contact with others — governments have a shot at stamping out new chains of transmission, while also trying to mitigate the damage of the spread that isn't under control. (Branswell, 3/11)

The Washington Post: Social Distancing Could Buy U.S. Valuable Time Against Coronavirus
With coronavirus cases in more than 30 states and the District of Columbia already starting to strain limited resources, including masks and lab tests, the United States is at a make-or-break moment that will depend on one of the most basic, but inconvenient and disruptive, public health tools in the book: social distancing. The best way to prevent a catastrophic explosion of cases in the next few weeks, many experts think, is to break potential chains of transmission by preventing infected people from coming in close contact with healthy ones, whether it means canceling conferences or relying on individual decisions to avoid crowded public transportation or postpone weddings. (Johnson, Sun and Freedman, 3/10)

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: What Is Social Distancing? Will It Help Curb Coronavirus?
As the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise, the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised people to begin practicing "social distancing."It's quickly become a buzz word, with memes and jokes from introverts have sprung up quickly online, social distancing is more than just an excuse to cancel plans and stay in. (Kueppers, 3/10)

Stat: Simple Math Offers Alarming Answers About Covid-19, Health Care
Much of the current discourse on — and dismissal of — the Covid-19 outbreak focuses on comparisons of the total case load and total deaths with those caused by seasonal influenza. But these comparisons can be deceiving, especially in the early stages of an exponential curve as a novel virus tears through an immunologically naïve population. Perhaps more important is the disproportionate number of severe Covid-19 cases, many requiring hospitalization or weekslong ICU stays. What does an avalanche of uncharacteristically severe respiratory viral illness cases mean for our health care system? (Specht, 3/10)

Bloomberg: Can US Contain Coronavirus? Window Passed In Some Places: CDC
The window for fully containing the coronavirus has passed in some parts of the U.S. and the White House will roll out plans later Tuesday to mitigate its impact. Vice President Mike Pence is expected later Tuesday to roll out a wider mitigation strategy for places dealing with outbreaks, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield said at a hearing in Washington on Tuesday. (Flatley and Armstrong, 3/10)

The New York Times: Flu And Coronavirus: Similar Symptoms, Different Fears
Is it the flu, a cold or the new coronavirus? Patients and doctors alike are parsing signs of illness to figure out who needs what tests or care and how worried they should be. "You have three different major viruses floating around at the same time," causing somewhat similar symptoms — but different levels of concern, said Dr. Gary LeRoy, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians. (3/10)

The Washington Post: Is Is An Allergy, Coronavirus Or Flu?
Allergy symptoms can be debilitating: itchy, red, watery eyes; sneezing; runny nose and sometimes, coughing. This year, the coronavirus adds a layer of unease to the seasonal annoyance, especially in areas such as Washington, D.C., where pollen counts are already at moderate to high levels. With fear rising in tandem with the number of cases of covid-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus, doctors worry allergy sufferers will conflate their routine reactions to pollen with coronavirus symptoms and overwhelm an already-strained health care system with panicked visits. (Bhanoo, 3/10)

The Wall Street Journal: Coronavirus Vs. Flu: Which Virus Is Deadlier?
The new coronavirus and the seasonal flu are similar in many ways. Both are respiratory diseases that spread through droplets of fluid from the mouth and nose of someone who is infected. Both are contagious, produce similar symptoms and can be deadly. But there are some major differences. While both produce many of the same symptoms—fever, cough and muscle aches—and are particularly hard on the elderly, they come from two different families of viruses. People have more protection from the flu because there is a vaccine and they are exposed to flu viruses every year. (McKay, 3/10)

The Washington Post: Who's At Greatest Risk From Coronavirus And How They Should Protect Themselves
The coronavirus is most brutal to the old and the chronically ailing. That is a vast cohort in the United States — millions of people — who are not blessed with youth and good health and who now face an enigmatic pathogen that no human immune system has ever encountered and for which there is no vaccine. Late Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new coronavirus guidelines that attempted to describe who is at higher risk and provide common-sense counsel on how everyone can protect themselves and their families and communities from covid-19, the flu-like disease caused by the novel coronavirus. (Achenbach and McGinley, 3/10)

CBS News: CDC Tells High-Risk Adults To Prepare Accordingly For Coronavirus Outbreak
The cleaning crew arrived in full hazmat gear at the nursing home that's been ground zero in the coronavirus epidemic. Some 21 residents at the Kirkland facility have now tested positive for the virus. Families are on edge and have been forced to communicate through a window. With the virus now in 10 nursing homes in King County alone, Governor Jay Inslee is sounding the alarm: imposing some of the strictest requirements in the country for older adults at all long-term facilities in the state, including limiting visitors to one per day; requiring visitors to wear special protective gear; and screening employees for symptoms before each shift. (Vigliotti, 3/10)

The Washington Post: Why Doesn't Coronavirus Make Kids Sick With Covid-19?
One of the few mercies of the spreading coronavirus is that it leaves young children virtually untouched — a mystery virologists say may hold vital clues as to how the virus works. In China, only 2.4 percent of reported cases were children and only 0.2 percent of reported cases were children who got critically ill, according to the World Health Organization. China has reported no case of a young child dying of the disease covid-19. (Wan and Achenbach, 3/10)

The Wall Street Journal: How Vulnerable Are Children To The New Coronavirus?
Only 2% of the patients in a review of nearly 45,000 confirmed Covid-19 cases in China were children, and there were no reported deaths in children under 10, according to a study published in JAMA last month. (In contrast, there have been 136 pediatric deaths from influenza in the U.S. this flu season.) Three percent of Covid-19 cases occurred in people over 80, while 87% were in those 30 to 79 years-old.About 8% of cases were in people in their 20s. Those 10 to 19 years old accounted for 1% of cases and those under 10 also accounted for only 1%. A separate study looking at the number of infants hospitalized for Covid-19 in China between Dec. 8 and Feb. 6 found only nine infected babies. (Reddy, 3/10)

NPR: What To Do If You Think You've Got Symptoms Of COVID-19
If you or someone in your household is sick with a fever and cough you may be dealing with another symptom: the fear that you have coronavirus. What are you supposed to do? First of all, don't panic. Remember that it's still flu and cold season in the U.S., and seasonal allergies are starting up, too. Unless your symptoms are getting dramatically worse or you feel short of breath, you may not need to seek medical treatment (though it's OK to call your doctor and ask). (Godoy and Simmons-Duffin, 3/10)

The Wall Street Journal: The Stress—And Stress Relief—Of The Gym During Coronavirus
The gym, an escape and haven in the day-to-day lives of millions, has become yet another source of anxiety in the age of coronavirus. As cases of Covid-19 rise in the U.S., health officials are urging people to practice social distancing. That could make spin classes and yoga sessions seem more harmful than healthy. Yet many fitness fanatics crave exercise more than ever and are forging forward, while taking precautions. (Murphy, 3/10)

The New York Times: Can I Boost My Immune System?
As worries grow about the new coronavirus, online searches for ways to bolster the immune system have surged. Are there foods to boost your immune system? Will vitamins help? The immune system is a complex network of cells, organs and tissues that work in tandem to protect the body from infection. While genetics play a role, we know from studies of twins that the strength of our immune system is largely determined by nonheritable factors. The germs we are exposed to over a lifetime, as well as lifestyle factors like stress, sleep, diet and exercise all play a role in the strength of our immune response. (3/10)

Kaiser Health News: How To Avoid Coronavirus? Lessons From People Whose Lives Depend On It
Andrea Amelse knows hand-washing. For the past eight years, she's been washing her hands pretty much every time she passes a sink. When she's near a bottle of antibacterial gel, she uses it. She makes a point of avoiding people with contagious illnesses, even though it can be uncomfortable to ask to work from home or miss a date with friends. And she makes sure she gets plenty of sleep, not always easy at age 25. (Barry-Jester, 3/11)

Boston Globe: Long-Term Care Facilities Move To Restrict Visits From Family Members
Skilled nursing and assisted living homes across the nation will begin screening all visitors and restricting entry to all but essential health care workers in an effort to prevent new outbreaks of coronavirus, operators of the facilities said Tuesday. Citing new guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, trade groups representing long-term care residences housing 2.5 million older Americans said they'll screen all family members, employees, contractors, and government officials before permitting them to enter ― and telling family and friends to stay away. (Weisman, 3/10)

16. What If You Can't Stay Home When You're Sick?

All the public health experts out there are clamoring about people staying home from work if they're sick. But that advice is not always easy to follow for all Americans. Meanwhile, other industries, especially the airlines, brace for the economic impact of the virus.

Boston Globe: For Workers In The Time Of Coronavirus, A Troubling Choice: Work Sick, Or Lose Pay?
The advice is clear, and it's repeated often: Stay home if you're sick.But what if doing so could cost you your job? Or your rent money?Workers groups around the country are calling for changes in sick leave policies that penalize workers who take time off to recover from an illness. Nationally, only half of the lowest 25 percent of workers get paid sick leave, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. (Freyer and Johnston, 3/10)

CBS News: Walmart Responds To Coronavirus With Emergency Leave Policy For Workers
Walmart on Tuesday said it is implementing an emergency leave policy for the retailer's 1.4 million hourly workers in response to the coronavirus, saying they'll receive up to two weeks pay if they have to be quarantined or are diagnosed with the illness. The nation's largest private employer also said that if store, warehouse club or distribution center employees are not able to return to work after two weeks, up to 26 weeks of additional pay could be provided for both full- and part-time workers. The policy covers both Walmart and Sam's Club workers no matter when they were hired. (Gibson, 3/10)

Reuters: Google Recommends All North America Employees To Work From Home
Alphabet Inc's Google is recommending all of its North American employees to work from home if their roles permit, the search giant said on Tuesday, aiming to minimize the risk of spreading the coronavirus. The new recommendation is an expansion of a similar guideline it gave to employees in San Francisco Bay area. (3/10)

Modern Healthcare: Coronavirus To Tax Tight Healthcare Job Market
Most healthcare staffing agencies haven't seen a significant uptick in demand as the coronavirus spreads, although they and the hospitals they serve are preparing accordingly amid an already stretched labor market. It's still uncertain how much demand will swing, but staffing agencies and hospitals are leveraging their crisis teams and disaster protocols in the meantime. If the COVID-19 outbreak grows significantly, it may exacerbate ongoing labor shortages, billing issues and persistent infection-control conundrums. (Kacik and Meyer, 3/10)

Politico: Travel Slump Worsens As Airlines Try To Blame Media
Airlines blamed the media for exaggerating the effects of the coronavirus Tuesday, urgently broadcasting that they are "open for business" as travel continues to slump and new numbers suggest the worst may be yet to come for the industry. In a statement Tuesday morning, the trade group Airlines for America said that "false media narratives ... have led to confusion and uncertainty across the country," and argued that it's safe to fly, saying "numerous health officials have affirmed that the risk remains low for travelers who follow CDC guidelines." (Mintz, 3/10)

The New York Times: Travel And The Coronavirus: Answers To Your Top Questions
As the coronavirus continues to spread across the globe, the question of whether to travel, and where it's safe to go, has become increasingly complicated. Experts say you need to stay informed. Here, their advice on some of the most pressing questions facing people who might be considering traveling. (Salcedo, 3/10)

17. 'This Is The Time To Act': Universities Telling Students To Stay Home In Hopes Of Avoiding Campus Outbreaks

The schools are shifting to online classes. But some question if students are safer back at home, if those destinations are in areas with major outbreaks.

The Wall Street Journal: Coronavirus Prompts Colleges To Send Students Home
Colleges across the nation began taking the unprecedented step of sending students home for the rest of the spring semester, as they struggled to respond to the escalating uncertainties of the novel coronavirus. Harvard University Tuesday morning told students to move out of their campus housing no later than Sunday and not to return until further notice. Classes will be taught remotely. The school, which has no confirmed cases of the virus, has a regularly scheduled spring break next week. (Korn, 3/10)

The Associated Press: College Campuses Empty As Virus Scare Pushes Learning Online
College seniors began making tearful goodbyes, not knowing if they'd return to see friends on campus. Some were heading to homes without internet, leaving them to wonder if they could keep up with online classes. And some worried about finding a way to afford a flight on only a few days' notice. As dozens of universities cancel in-person classes and move instruction online amid fears over the new coronavirus, thousands of students are left scrambling to find their way home while their professors puzzle over how to move weeks of courses to the internet. (3/10)

The Washington Post: U.S. Senators Press Betsy DeVos For Answers On Education Department's Coronavirus Response
A group of Democratic senators are pressing Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to answer some key questions about her agency's response to the spread of the novel coronavirus across the country, especially about how it plans to help vulnerable students. More than 20 senators sent a letter late Tuesday urging answers from the secretary about what the department is doing to help students affected by the outbreak of the virus. (Strauss, 3/10)

The Washington Post: Harvard Tells Students To Move Out And Finish Classes Remotely After Spring Break In Response To Covid-19
Harvard University advised students not to return to campus after spring break and to expect to complete classwork remotely until further notice in an effort to avoid the spread of covid-19. "Harvard College students will be required to move out of their houses and first-year dorms as soon as possible and no later than Sunday, March 15," at 5 p.m., Rakesh Khurana, the dean of Harvard College told students Tuesday. (Weintraub and Svrluga, 3/10)

CNN: Duke And Other US Universities Are Canceling In-Person Classes Due To Coronavirus
Universities from California to New York have closed campus classrooms as the novel coronavirus has affected more than 100,000 people worldwide and its spread has transformed into a pandemic. The cancellations have been focused in states and areas hardest hit by the virus, including the Seattle area, California and New York. The Ohio State University, which has an enrollment of more than 60,000 students, and Harvard University, the Ivy League institution, are the latest to announce they are closing classrooms. (Levenson and Boyette, 3/11)

The Baltimore Sun: Multiple Maryland Universities Cancel Classes To Stem Coronavirus, Plan To Go Remote After Spring Break
Many Maryland college students are headed to spring break next week, and they likely won't return to their campuses as multiple universities said Tuesday that they will opt for remote instruction to help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. Towson University and Morgan State University have canceled classes for the rest of this week, as did the private Loyola University of Maryland. The University of Maryland, Baltimore County has canceled classes on Thursday and Friday. Additionally, Johns Hopkins University canceled in-person classes for all students starting Wednesday, and planned to transition to remote instruction at least through April 12. (Marbella and Bowie, 3/10)

WBUR: Schools Weigh Challenges Of Staying Open During Coronavirus Spread
School leaders are facing some difficult decisions as coronavirus concerns grow in Massachusetts, with Gov. Charlie Baker declaring a public health emergency Tuesday afternoon. Among the most daunting is the idea of closing, especially for extended periods of time. So far, schools in Massachusetts have opted to close temporarily for a day or more to allow cleaning crews to thoroughly disinfect facilities. (Jung, 3/10)

NBC News: Coronavirus Is Closing More Schools. What Happens To Students Who Depend On School Lunches?
Over the next two weeks, 23,000 students in the Northshore School District in suburban Seattle are learning from home in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak gripping Washington state and rippling across the country. But with students' daily routines thrown for a loop, another immediate challenge has surfaced for school officials: How do you make sure every child has access to lunch? (Ortiz, 3/10)

Cincinnati Enquirer: Coronavirus: What UC, Xavier And Miami Are Doing Amid Concerns
Miami University, the University of Cincinnati and Xavier University have canceled most in-person classes due to concerns around the new coronavirus, officials said. The moves by the two biggest institutions of higher learning in the Cincinnati region came after Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said Tuesday afternoon that his health advisors had suggested such a course of action. (Brookbank, Mitchell and Longberg, 3/10)

18. Amid Coronavirus Outbreak, FDA Suspends Inspections Of Foreign Manufacturers Of Drugs, Medical Devices

FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn said in a statement that the decision was based on State Department travel advisories and other restrictions that have been enforced during the outbreak.

The Washington Post: FDA Suspends Overseas Drug Inspections Because Of Coronavirus
The Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday that it is postponing most inspections of foreign manufacturers of pharmaceutical products, medical devices and food imported into the United States. The inspections will be suspended through April. The agency said the postponements involve routine surveillance inspections of outfits that make FDA-regulated products. "For cause" inspections — ones in which the FDA is investigating a specific problem, for example — will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. (McGinley, 3/10)

The New York Times: F.D.A. Halts Overseas Inspections Of Drugs And Devices, Citing Coronavirus
The agency had already pulled back its inspectors from China, which is the largest source of raw ingredients for many drugs, like aspirin, ibuprofen and penicillin. But this global action means that F.D.A. inspections would also be discontinued in India, the world's leading manufacturer of generic drugs. Last year, the agency said it conducted 3,103 inspections at overseas plants. In addition to overseas inspections, the agency also screens samples of food, drugs, tobacco, veterinary products and cosmetics imported into the United States. In recent years, several types of drugs have had to be recalled because of contamination at the production level, many of which contained ingredients made in China. Those recalls prompted the F.D.A. to revamp some of its procedures. (Kaplan and Thomas, 3/10)

In other pharmaceutical news —

The New York Times: Coronavirus Spurs U.S. Efforts To End China's Chokehold On Drugs
The global spread of the coronavirus is reigniting efforts by the Trump administration to encourage more American manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and reduce dependence on China for the drugs and medical products that fuel the federal health care system. The effort includes a push by the White House trade adviser Peter Navarro to tighten "Buy American" laws so federal agencies are required to purchase American-made pharmaceuticals and medical equipment, according to people with knowledge of the plans. (Swanson, 3/11)

Stat: Global Companies Expand The Reach Of Their Cancer Drugs In China
While much of the world is understandably focused on the new coronavirus's emergence in China, three recent developments involve the potential expansion of treatments for an entrenched disease there: cancer. One biotech is making it easier for patients to keep taking its checkpoint inhibitor, one pharma giant has won approval for a new type of cancer its targeted drug therapy can treat, and another major pharma has won the go-ahead for a combination therapy. (Chan, 3/10)

19. More Washington Nursing Homes See Uptick In Infections, Deaths; Biogen's Boston Meeting Shows How Conferences Can Spread Infection

Media outlets report on news in Washington, Massachusetts, New Jersey, District of Columbia, New York, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Louisiana.

The Wall Street Journal: Coronavirus Spreads To More Elder Facilities In Seattle Area
The disease caused by the novel coronavirus has turned up among residents or workers in at least 11 elder-care facilities in the Seattle area, and at least three have reported fatalities among residents, local health authorities said Tuesday. The prospect for Covid-19 breaking loose in nursing homes and other elder-care centers is a major worry around the U.S. Residents are often vulnerable to respiratory illnesses because of their age and underlying health. Outbreaks can also spread among employees, keeping them home and making it harder to staff facilities. (Kamp, 3/10)

CNN: Washington Governor Orders Nursing Homes To Limit Visitors As The Coronavirus Outbreak Spreads To More Facilities
Nursing homes have been instructed to limit visitors in Washington state as coronavirus cases spread across three facilities -- with Life Care Center in Kirkland at the epicenter of the outbreak. On Tuesday, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee directed nursing homes and assisted living facilities to limit the number of visitors, keep visitors in patient rooms and screen workers every shift for coronavirus. The rules are in place until midnight on April 9, according to the order. (Holcombe, 3/11)

Stateline: In Coronavirus Epicenter, A Statehouse Scrambles To Govern
In the epicenter of the United States coronavirus outbreak, Washington state lawmakers are scrambling to pass a $100 million package to combat the disease before their legislative session ends Thursday. They're also preparing to close the Capitol at a moment's notice if coronavirus is found in their midst. If a legislator or staffer is diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the latest coronavirus — or if the state's public health officials advise a shutdown — the legislature would adjourn abruptly and look for alternative methods to finish the year's business. (Brown, 3/11)

The Wall Street Journal: How Biogen's Strategy Meeting Spread Coronavirus In Massachusetts And Beyond
A strategy meeting for senior managers at Boston-area biotech Biogen Inc. late last month has emerged as a hotbed for novel coronavirus infections, resulting in dozens around the country so far, according to public-health and company officials. The spread of coronavirus infections from the meeting highlights the potential dangers in going ahead with the gatherings and conferences that are a staple of conducting business but that also threaten to amplify epidemics. (Walker and Abbott, 3/10)

CNN: Massachusetts Coronavirus: Boston Conference Is The Epicenter Of State's Outbreak As Governor Declares State Of Emergency
Massachusetts' coronavirus cases have more than doubled and the state's governor declared a state of emergency after employees who attended a company meeting in Boston last month tested positive for the virus. The state announced 51 new presumptive positive cases Tuesday that are awaiting confirmation by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The surge brings the total number of confirmed or presumptive positive cases in Massachusetts to 92. (Holcombe, 3/11)

The New York Times: First Coronavirus Death In New Jersey: Yonkers Raceway Worker
A New Jersey man who worked at a racetrack just north of New York City died on Tuesday after contracting the coronavirus — the first known fatality in the Northeast linked to the virus. Yonkers Raceway, the popular harness-racing track, shut down Tuesday afternoon and has asked employees who spent time near the horse paddock to remain under quarantine. The man, who was 69 and lived in Little Ferry, a small Bergen County town about 15 miles northwest of Manhattan, had gone to his doctor last week complaining of a fever and a cough, the state's health commissioner, Judith Persichilli, said. (Tully, 3/10)

The New York Times: For 4 Days, The Hospital Thought He Had Just Pneumonia. It Was Coronavirus.
The lawyer, 50, was struggling to breathe. His neighbor took him to a nearby hospital, in an affluent suburb about 20 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. He seemed to have just pneumonia. Doctors put him in an ordinary room on the fifth floor. It would be more than four days before anyone figured out what actually ailed him: the new coronavirus. The discovery on March 2 that the man, Lawrence Garbuz, was infected was the first indication that the virus was circulating in New York through community spread. (Goldstein and Salcedo, 3/10)

Roll Call: Gridiron Dinner Canceled Over Coronavirus Concerns In D.C.
The Gridiron Club and Foundation has called off its dinner this year due to coronavirus concerns, organizers announced Tuesday. "We canceled the dinner because we didn't want to put people at risk," said the group's president, Craig Gilbert of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The event was set for Saturday. Hosted by an invitation-only club of the Washington journalism establishment, the annual dinner attracts media executives, lawmakers and administration officials. It's been a sought-after ticket on the D.C. social circuit for over 130 years. (Gilbert, 3/10)

USA Today: War On Coronavirus: Residents In Suburban Atlanta Town Find Comfort Near CDC Headquarters
When Dr. Nancy Messonnier warned the nation in late February that the spread of coronavirus was "inevitable," her words and tone demanded attention. She was every mom and she was serious. The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Immunizations and Respiratory Disease told reporters she contacted her kids' school superintendent in this Atlanta suburb about safety measures and urged others to take similar action. (Ellis and O'Donnell, 3/10)

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Georgia Races To Respond To Coronavirus As Cases Rise To 22
State officials have transferred the first patient who tested positive for the disease caused by a coronavirus to a state park used to isolate and monitor Georgians exposed to the illness. And Georgia officials late Tuesday said the number of residents who are confirmed or presumed to have the disease, known as COVID-19, has grown to 22 cases - including the first in south Georgia. All but one of the residents are hospitalized, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. And for most of these people infected by the the coronavirus, the source of exposure is unknown. (Oliviero, Bluestein and Redmon, 3/10)

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Coronavirus's Rise In Georgia Doesn't Halt Massive Public Events
A parade drawing more than a half-million spectators who then enter taverns to drink and carouse. Election-season speeches, protests and town halls mingling impassioned crowds with government officials and social leaders. Some of the biggest sports gatherings on the calendar. Even as Georgia's coronavirus case count mounts, these events and more are scheduled here in the coming month. Local and state officials are trying to figure out what to do. (Habersham, Toone and Hart, 3/10)

Boston Globe: Baker Declares State Of Emergency As Coronavirus Cases More Than Double
Governor Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency for Massachusetts on Tuesday, as the number of Covid-19 cases in the state more than doubled to 92 and the first cases with no known source broke out in Berkshire County. Seeking to slow the spread of the virus, Baker announced travel restrictions on all 42,000 employees of the state's executive branch, banning out-of-state work-related travel and in-person conferences and seminars. He urged other large employers to do the same. (Freyer, Stout and Finucane, 3/10)

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Madison VA Hospital Begins Screening All Visitors For Coronavirus
Visitors, employees and patients coming to the VA hospital in Madison will be screened for coronavirus before they're allowed to enter. Anyone entering the William S. Middleton Memorial Hospital in Madison will be screened at the main entrance from 5:45 a.m. to 7 p.m. All other doors will be locked.At the Milwaukee VA Medical Center, visitors are being restricted at the facility's spinal cord clinic and nursing home. (Jones, 3/10)

Cincinnati Enquirer: With New Kits, Ohio Can Now Test Up To 800 People For Novel Coronavirus
As many as 800 Ohioans could be tested for the novel coronavirus, now that just-manufactured test kits have arrived at the Ohio Department of Health. The kits were used to detect the three initial cases of the infection in the Buckeye State, a department spokeswoman said. Testing for the virus had been virtually halted nationwide for weeks when the test manufacturer issued a recall in February. (Saker, 3/10)

20. Immigration Rights Groups Call On ICE To Release Detainees At High-Risk Of Infection

The groups are focusing on high-risk detainees at a facility in Tacoma, Washington which is close to epicenter of the U.S. outbreak. ICE says it has not had any confirmed cases of COVID-19 at the jail. Meanwhile, immigration courts have been ordered to take down coronavirus information from courtrooms and waiting areas.

The Associated Press: Groups: Release Immigrant Detainees At High Coronavirus Risk
Immigrant rights groups want U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to release detainees at its Washington state jail who are at high risk from the coronavirus. In a letter sent to ICE late Monday, the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington, the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project and Columbia Legal Services said ICE should release on parole any detainees who are older than 60, pregnant, or who have underlying conditions such as a weakened immune system or heart or lung disease. Those in detention are especially vulnerable to contagious outbreaks, they said. (3/10)

Miami Herald: Feds To Immigration Courts: Remove Coronavirus Info Posters
Immigration court staff nationwide have been ordered by the Trump administration to take down all coronavirus posters from courtrooms and waiting areas. The Executive Office for Immigration Review, which falls under the Department of Justice, told all judges and staff members in an email Monday that all coronavirus posters, which explain in English and Spanish how to prevent catching and spreading the virus, had to be removed immediately. (Madan, 3/10)

21. A 'Tsunami That Has Overwhelmed Us': Italian Doctor Paints Grim Picture Of A Country Under Siege

Italian Dr. Daniele Macchini posted on social media about what's happening on the front lines of Italian's coronavirus response. Meanwhile, one clue about why Italy may be so affected is that the country has the second-oldest population in the world, and the outbreak has killed a disproportionately high number of people in their 80s and 90s.

Huffington Post: Doctor In Italy's Coronavirus Epicenter Tells Chilling Details In Plea For Action
Dr. Daniele Macchini, a doctor treating COVID-19 patients in a hospital located in the epicenter of Italy's coronavirus outbreak, has detailed the distressing conditions he's witnessing and his deep concern about the spread of the virus. In a now-viral Facebook post, Macchini sought to convey the situation in Bergamo, a city near Milan in northern Italy. He likened the outbreak to a "war" and a "tsunami that has overwhelmed us." The 16 million people in the northern region of the country were the first to be locked down on Sunday before a nationwide lockdown on the country's 60 million residents was enforced Tuesday in an effort to slow the spread. ..."The media in Europe are reassuring, politicians are reassuring, while there's little to be reassured of," the epidemiologist wrote. "After much thought about whether and what to write about what is happening to us, I felt that silence was not responsible," Macchini's translated post begins. (Harvey, 3/11)

The New York Times: Message Received: Italians Are Staying Home
Italy got the message. On the first day of Europe's first nationwide restriction on movement and public gatherings to stem the rampant spread of the coronavirus, Italians steered clear of their streets, shops, churches and soccer fields. They obeyed the government's "I Stay Home" decree, announced on Monday night by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte with a plea for common sacrifice to safeguard the country's elderly population and to save the health system from collapse. (Horowitz, 3/10)

CNN: Italy Coronavirus Sparks Total Lockdown And Alarm In The US As Cases Rise Globally
The novel coronavirus outbreak continues to spread globally, sparking a total lockdown across Italy and emergency measures worldwide, as markets recover from Monday's historic rout. The virus, known as Covid-19, has now infected close to 113,000 people worldwide and resulted in more than 4,000 deaths. The majority of these cases are in mainland China, where the outbreak first emerged -- but the rate of infection has been slowing in the country, and the situation stabilizing, even as the virus wreaks havoc elsewhere. (Yeung, 3/10)

CNN: Coronavirus Outbreak Worsens In Italy And Japan, As Situation Stabilizes In China
The number of people infected with the novel coronavirus has surpassed 115,000, with the death toll reaching more than 4,200, as countries around the world continue to grapple with the challenges of containing the pandemic. On Wednesday, China reported a slight increase in new daily cases, overturning several consecutive days of fewer new infections. The rise, from 19 on Monday to 24 on Tuesday, has been attributed to individuals returning from overseas, underscoring the difficulties faced by governments as the virus continues to spread rapidly across multiple continents. (Yeung, 3/11)

The Associated Press: Italy Passes 10,000 Infections As Clusters Spur Worry In US
Expanding clusters of the new coronavirus were eyed warily Wednesday as the outbreak upended daily life and reshaped everything from the United States presidential race to Pope Francis' travel. In the U.S., the caseload passed 1,000, and outbreaks on both sides of the country were stirring alarm, while in Europe, an increasingly locked-down Italy counted more than 10,000 infections and recorded soaring deaths among its aging population. (3/11)

22. China Ignored Global Norms To Halt Outbreak. Now Other Countries Are Considering Doing The Same.

World health leaders have said China's authoritarian measures at the outset of the crisis bought the world time, and now as the country is starting to return to normalcy as the rest of the world is hit with more cases, countries are look at China's playbook. Meanwhile, a health minister in the United Kingdom has confirmed she's been infected, while virus clusters in South Korea raise new alarm.

The Wall Street Journal: How China Slowed Coronavirus: Lockdowns, Surveillance, Enforcers
When China's Communist Party locked down an entire city to fight the outbreak of a new coronavirus there, some global public-health officials warned that the iron-fisted approach ignored world-wide norms for responding to epidemics and could make things worse. Now, with the number of new cases across China dwindling—and rising outside its borders—the nation's hard-line response to the pathogen is challenging decades of conventional wisdom about how best to handle infectious diseases. (Lin, 3/10)

Reuters: As New Cases Of Coronavirus Subside In China, Wuhan Told To Go Back To Work
Some key industries in Wuhan, the Chinese city at the epicenter of the coronavirus epidemic, were told they can resume work on Wednesday, a day after President Xi Jinping visited the city for the first time since the outbreak began. The city of 11 million has been in lockdown since late January, but Xi's visit signaled the tide was turning in the government's favor as it fights to contain a virus that as of Tuesday had infected 80,778 people in China and killed 3,158. (3/11)

Reuters: 'Whatever It Takes': EU In Show Of Unity On Virus, But With Scarce Resources
European leaders sought to present a united front on Tuesday as the coronavirus cast a lengthening shadow across their continent, but fell short of agreeing radical measures to tackle an exceptional crisis. The leaders of the European Union's 27 member states, used to meeting in person at Brussels summits, joined a video conference after days of criticism that they had failed to close ranks on the crisis and were bickering over how to respond. (3/10)

Reuters: UK Health Minister Dorries Diagnosed With Coronavirus
British junior health minister Nadine Dorries has tested positive for coronavirus and is self-isolating, she said on Tuesday. Dorries said she took "all the advised precautions" as soon as she was told of her diagnosis. "Public Health England has started detailed contact tracing and the department and my parliamentary office are closely following their advice," she said in a statement issued through the UK's health department. (3/10)

The Associated Press: Virus Could Test Latin America's Already Ailing Economy
For years, Dionisio Romero has relied for his livelihood on a magenta-colored dragon fruit that is wildly popular in Asia, planting dozens of the spindly trees at his farm near Ecuador's Pacific coast. But as the coronavirus wreaks economic havoc worldwide, the 72-year-old farmer has watched demand for his fruit plummet and prices drop to astonishing lows, wiping away much of the profit he might normally expect. (Armario and Mendez, 3/11)

Elections

23. Biden Cusses Out Auto Worker Over Claims He'll Try To 'Take Away Our Guns'

Former Vice President Joe Biden had heated words over the man's claims in a video that went viral. Biden has long favored a ban on the sale and manufacture of assault weapons and high capacity magazines.

The Wall Street Journal: Biden Gets In Heated Exchange With Auto Worker Over Gun Rights
Former Vice President Joe Biden had a heated exchange over gun rights while visiting an auto-assembly plant in Michigan on Tuesday as voters headed to the polls in the battleground state. As Mr. Biden greeted workers at the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles plant in Detroit, one worker told the Democratic presidential front-runner he was "actively trying to end our Second Amendment right and take away our guns." "You're full of shit," Mr. Biden responded. (Siddiqui, 3/10)

Politico: Biden: Man With Gun Control Accusations Is 'Full Of' It
In the video, Biden is confronted by a hard hat-wearing worker who accused the former vice president of "actively trying to diminish our Second Amendment right and take away our guns," to which Biden immediately shot back, "You're full of shit." Biden's aides quickly stepped in to try to get him to move along. But after shushing those around him, Biden insisted that "I support the Second Amendment," and compared the issue to exceptions to freedom of speech granted under the First Amendment. (Oprysko, 3/10)

Public Health And Education

24. 'I Don't Want To Lose More Employees': Construction Firms Seek Ways To Prevent Suicides, End Tough-Guy Image

The construction industry "culture is stoic, as is typical of male-dominated industries," said Cal Beyer, director of risk management for Lakeside Industries in Seattle. Workers tend to be more at risk for suicide, self-medicating and substance abuse. More public health news is on HIV, AA's effectiveness, ocean bacteria, life-saving CPR, morning fasts, mushroom recall, and the benefits of squatting vs. sitting.

The Wall Street Journal: Construction Industry Tackles Suicide, An Occupational Hazard
Bayview Asphalt is a small paving company, employing about two dozen people. Over the past decade, the Seaside, Ore., business has lost two employees to suicide. The company isn't alone in the industry in dealing with such tragedy. Among occupations in the U.S., workers in construction and extraction face the highest rate of suicide, according to a January report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which was based on data from 32 states participating in the National Violent Death Reporting System. "I don't want to lose more employees," said Tim Wirkkala, Bayview's operations manager. (Chen, 3/11)

CNN: Second Person Cured Of HIV Is Still Free Of Active Virus Two Years On
The second person ever to be cured of HIV is still free of active virus more than two years on, a study published by medical journal The Lancet HIV revealed on Tuesday. Two and a half years ago, Adam Castillejo -- previously identified as the "London patient" -- finished HIV antiretroviral therapy. He underwent a stem cell transplant to treat lymphoma and his donor carried a mutation known as CCR5-delta 32, which made him resistant to HIV. Researchers said that in treating his lymphoma, they believe Castillejo, now 40, was cured of HIV. (Yu and Woodyatt, 3/10)

CNN: New Chlamydia Species Discovered Deep Under The Arctic Ocean
When people hear the word chlamydia, they usually think about sexually transmitted infections. And it's true that the specific bacteria that causes chlamydia typically depend on interactions with other organisms to survive. So when a team of researchers discovered several new chlamydia-related species deep below the Arctic Ocean, in a place with no oxygen and without an apparent host organism, they were surprised. (Kaur, 3/10)

CNN: CPR: Your Hands Hold The Power Of Life -- All You Have To Do Is Push
It only takes two hands to save a life. Your two hands, pushing strongly on the chest bone in a regular beat, can take the place of a heart that has stopped. In essence, you become the heart, pumping valuable oxygen-rich blood to the brain and all of the vital organs, slowing the countdown to death. (LaMotte, 3/10)

CNN: Eat Breakfast Or Fast? How To Do Both
Is breakfast still the most important meal of the day? We used to know the answer to that question, right? And now we're not so sure. As a registered dietitian, I always recommend starting the day with a healthy breakfast. And during the past 20 years, I've never met a nutritionist who has suggested skipping it. The morning meal can boost energy, control cravings and weight, and improve focus and performance. (Drayer, 3/10)

The New York Times: Sitting Is Bad For Our Health. Should We Squat More Instead?
If you are sitting down to read this article, you may be doing your resting wrong, according to a fascinating new study of hunter-gatherer tribespeople and how they idle. The study finds that hunter-gatherers tend to lounge about during the day almost as much as those of us in the developed world. But their approach to inactivity is distinctive, involving no chairs and plenty of squatting. (Reynolds, 3/11)

State Watch

25. State Highlights: Medicaid Funding Distribution Battle Divides Dozens Of Hospitals In Illinois; California Orders Religious Group To Stop Selling Cheaper Alternatives To ACA

Media outlets report on news from Illinois, California, Iowa, Ohio, Georgia, Alabama, and Virginia.

Modern Healthcare: Why A Multibillion-Dollar Funding Program Is Dividing Hospitals
A battle has broken out over billions of dollars intended to compensate hospitals for treating Medicaid patients in Illinois. The state's $3.5 billion hospital assessment program is up for renewal soon. But hospitals disagree about how the next iteration should allocate funds. The issue even divides "safety-net" facilities that treat large numbers of low-income and uninsured patients. Some larger, busier hospitals get more money under the current program, but some smaller hospitals with lower patient volumes get less, even if a higher percentage of their patients are on Medicaid or uninsured. (Goldberg, 3/10)

The New York Times: California Cracks Down On Alternative Health Plans
California state officials said on Tuesday they were ordering a major Christian group to stop offering an alternative to health insurance, joining several states scrutinizing these cost-sharing programs that provide limited coverage. The plans, which have become increasingly popular, rely on pooling members' contributions to cover their medical expenses, but they are not required to meet standards for traditional insurance plans. (Abelson, 3/10)

Des Moines Register: Iowa House Passes Bill Changing THC Limit In Medical Marijuana Program
The Iowa House has passed a bill that would change how much THC patients can receive through the state's medical marijuana program, add more qualifying conditions and allow more health care practitioners to recommend Iowans be added to the program. The bill, which passed on a vote of 52-46, follows the recommendation of a state advisory board and is in line with what Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds said she is comfortable with signing, but Democrats called it a step backward for the program. (Gruber-Miller, 3/10)

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Are Doctors Ready For Rise In Georgia's Alzheimer's Cases?
Eighty-seven percent of primary care physicians expect to see an increase in people suffering from dementia during the next five years, but half of those surveyed say the medical profession is ill-equipped to meet the demand, according to the new "2020 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures" report, released Wednesday by the Alzheimer's Association. (Poole, 3/10)

The Associated Press: Down Syndrome Abortion Fight In Ohio Takes Legal Twists
A federal court in Cincinnati will hear complex legal arguments for and against Ohio's Down syndrome abortion ban Wednesday, in a case viewed as pivotal in the national debate over the procedure. Attorneys for the government contend in legal filings that the sidelined 2017 law does not infringe on a woman's constitutional rights — because it "does not prohibit any abortions at all." (3/11)

San Francisco Chronicle: Doctors' Group Wants Processed Meats Added To California's Cancer-Warning List
California requires Proposition 65 cancer warnings on hundreds of products, ranging from tobacco and gasoline to beer and french fries. But there are no warnings on processed meats, like hot dogs, corned beef and bacon, despite an international agency's findings in 2015 that those foods cause cancer in humans. A doctors' group is going to court Wednesday to try to cure that omission. (Egelko, 3/11)

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Nursing Home Industry Balks At Bill On Suspicious Deaths
A plan to offer additional scrutiny of suspicious deaths at nursing homes and assisted living facilities seemed positioned to finally get a full airing at the Georgia General Assembly this year. Advocates for the elderly had been fighting for more than a decade to ensure local coroners and medical examiners get notified of deaths that seem to have links to neglect or abuse. The goal is to have another level of independent review on cases that can easily be overlooked. (Schrade and Teegardin, 3/10)

NBC News: Alabama Moves Closer To Transgender Health Care Ban For Minors
Daniel Eggers said gender-affirming medical care saved his life. Eggers, 18, a transgender high school student in Alabama, began taking testosterone two years ago with his parents' blessing following a lifetime of depression and suicidal ideation. He found it difficult to make friends at school and struggled with an eating disorder, but since transitioning, he said he feels like a new person. He said he is almost never without a smile on his face, leading teachers to describe him as the "happiest kid in the world." (Lang, 3/10)

The Associated Press: Lawsuit Seeks To Require LA To Provide Beds For Homeless
A federal lawsuit filed Tuesday seeks to force Los Angeles officials to provide thousands of shelter beds in an effort to stem what it described as the unfolding "human tragedy" of people living in squalor on the streets. While once largely confined to the notorious Skid Row neighborhood, encampments have spread countywide. Freeway overpasses are lined with tents, and it's a common sight to see someone pushing a shopping cart filled with belongings through downtown and even suburban neighborhoods. (Weber, 3/10)

Kaiser Health News: VCU Health Halts 30-Year Campaign That Seized Patients' Wages, Put Liens On Homes
In one of the most sweeping moves yet by a nonprofit hospital system to reduce aggressive bill collection, VCU Health is halting seizure of patients' wages and removing thousands of liens against patients' homes, some dating to the 1990s. "Health care needs to be more affordable for patients, and we want to be part of the solution," said Melinda Hancock, VCU Health's chief administrative and financial officer. "We believe that no hospital bill should change the economic status of a family." (Hancock and Lucas, 3/11)

Prescription Drug Watch

26. Trump Sends Congress List Of Drug Pricing 'Principles'

Read about the biggest pharmaceutical development and pricing stories from the past week in KHN's Prescription Drug Watch roundup.

Stat: A Recently Approved Gilead HIV Prevention Pill Is Not Cost-Effective And Price Should Be Cut In Half, Study Says
The price of a Gilead Sciences (GILD) pill approved in the U.S. last fall to prevent HIV would have to be cut nearly in half in order to be cost-effective because it has questionable benefits over an older, similar pill that will face lower-cost generic competition later this year, according to a new analysis. As a result, the authors argued that switching to the newer medicine might limit access and boost HIV transmission. For its part, the drug maker shot back the methodology used in the study was "flawed" and led to "inaccurate conclusions that severely underestimate the value" of the newer medicine. (Silverman, 3/9)

Reuters: New Brand-Name HIV-Prevention Pill Not Worth The Added Cost: Study
A cheaper HIV prevention pill is going on sale soon in the U.S., but the price drop won't help as many people if doctors instead prescribe a newer, more expensive brand-name drug, experts say. HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a cocktail of drugs combined in a single pill taken once a day, can reduce the risk of HIV infections from sex or injected drug use by up to 99%, researchers note in the Annals of Internal Medicine. High costs, however, keep many patients who need PrEP from taking it. (Rapaport, 3/9)

Stat: Debates Over Biosimilar Uptake Notwithstanding, Sales Growth Should Accelerate By 2024
Despite various issues that have slowed biosimilar uptake by the U.S. health care system, usage is expected to accelerate over the next few years and the overall sales generated by these medicines are forecast to nearly triple to roughly $2.5 billion by 2024, a new analysis suggested. The optimistic outlook reflects several factors, although some remain unsettled. A key contributor is the effort by the Food and Drug Administration to approve a growing number of biosimilars, which are nearly identical variants of pricey brand-name biologic medicines that are expected to cost less but yield the same health outcomes. So far, the agency has approved 26 such medicines. (Silverman, 3/9)

Arkansas Democrat Gazette: States Back Arkansas' Effort To Regulate Drug-Claim Firms
Forty-five states, the U.S. solicitor general and groups representing doctors, pharmacists, grocery store owners and retirees have filed briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of Arkansas' efforts to regulate companies that pay drug claims on behalf of health plans. At issue is whether the country's top court should overturn lower court rulings that have limited the reach of Arkansas laws passed in response to pharmacists' complaints of low reimbursement from the companies, known as pharmacy benefit managers. (Davis, 3/6)

The Gazette: Fact Checker: Ad Takes On 'Republican' Plan To Lower Drug Prices
A health care advocacy organization launched a new ad in Iowa earlier this month, making the case that allowing federal officials to negotiate prescription prices directly with drug companies would reduce cost for Americans on Medicare. The ad states "the current Republican-sponsored health care proposal does not allow Medicare to negotiate." (3/9)

Financial Times: More Choice Means Higher Prices For American Diabetics
When Baqsimi came on to the US market last year, some parents of young diabetics breathed a sigh of relief. The nasal spray made it far easier to treat severe hypoglycaemic attacks, replacing a kit that required those in the vicinity of the incapacitated patient to administer injections, even if they had never done it before. Julie Settles, director of medical affairs at Eli Lilly, the pharmaceutical company behind Baqsimi, says the product made her feel "warm and fuzzy" from the moment she heard about it. The Indiana-based drugmaker bought the drug from Locemia Solutions in 2015. Robert Oringer, Locemia's co-founder, had spotted the problem with the existing solutions while taking care of his own diabetic children. (Kuchler, 3/9)

27. Perspectives: Drug Prices Give Lawmakers An Opportunity To Show They Can Reach Across The Aisle

Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.

The Wall Street Journal: White House Principles For Reducing Drug Costs
A divided Congress in a presidential election year may seem an unlikely setting for the first major drug-pricing reform in decades, but over the past year common goals and designs have emerged to set up a rare opportunity. President Trump in his State of the Union address called on both parties to "get something on drug pricing done, done quickly, and done properly." During times when our country faces public health challenges, America's strength in pharmaceutical innovation is recognized as an asset we must employ. The administration's goal is to help patients, including seniors, afford the drugs they need, not destroy this vital industry. The White House urges Congress to adhere to the following five principles. (Joe Grogan, 3/10)

Columbus Dispatch: Transparency Is Key To Lower Drug Prices
To tame ever-rising prices for prescription drugs in Ohio, most observers have a similar idea on how to do it, and it's right in the name of a new task force that began meeting recently: The Prescription Drug Transparency and Affordability Advisory Council. We agree that greater price transparency for drugs is essential to a saner health care system, but we hope the new panel also will consider a broader fix: getting rid of pharmacy benefit managers. The private companies serving as middlemen between drug companies and the private companies who handle the state's Medicaid program have profited immensely by draining hundreds of millions of dollars from the taxpayer-funded system. (3/5)

Stat: Five Years On, Biosimilars Need Support From All Health Care Players
Today marks a milestone for the U.S. biosimilar market: the FDA approved our first biosimilar, Sandoz's Zarxio, five years ago, on March 6, 2015. The biosimilar category holds incredible promise, and the market for these products is on an upward trajectory. But it's been a long journey and biosimilars have faced hurdles at every progression point. Every innovator company has filed legal action in some form against a biosimilar manufacturer to protect its patents and brand position, so before biosimilars even have a chance to compete, they are generally saddled with legal fees or settlement expenses, which have become another cost of entry. (Sean McGowan, 3/6)

Stat: Tackling Drug Shortages With Data, AI, Legislation, And More
Every quarter since 2014, roughly 150 to 300 drugs have been in short supply in the U.S. The drug shortages list has included injectable morphine and other painkillers, anesthetics, antibiotics, cancer drugs, medications for mental illness, and much more. In June 2018, a bipartisan group of 31 U.S. senators and 104 members of the House of Representatives wrote to then-FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb in hopes of addressing the nation's drug shortage crisis. (Shabbir Dahod, 3/11)

Chronicle Herald: CF Drug Pricing Dispute Hurting Patients
Behind the recent heartwarming story of Truro's Nicole Turple being gifted a four-month supply of a life-saving cystic fibrosis drug, there's a darker reality. Critics say ongoing disagreements over pricing between Canadian governments and the drug's manufacturer are keeping revolutionary new treatments for the deadly disease out of the hands of those who desperately need them. In Turple's case, the CF medicine — Symdeko — is approved for use by Health Canada but is not covered by government drug plans anywhere in this country. (3/6)

Editorials And Opinions

28. Different Takes: Lessons On When Things Like Coronavirus Grow Exponentially; Keeping People Apart Is One Important Way To Slow Spread

Opinion writers weigh in on issues surrounding the coronavirus.

The Washington Post: When Coronavirus Is Growing Exponentially, Everything Looks Fine Until It Doesn't
There's an old brain teaser that goes like this: You have a pond of a certain size, and upon that pond, a single lilypad. This particular species of lily pad reproduces once a day, so that on day two, you have two lily pads. On day three, you have four, and so on. Now the teaser. "If it takes the lily pads 48 days to cover the pond completely, how long will it take for the pond to be covered halfway?" The answer is 47 days. Moreover, at day 40, you'll barely know the lily pads are there. (Megan McArdle, 3/10)

The Washington Post: Tom Bossert: It's Now Or Never For The U.S. If It Hopes To Keep Coronavirus From Burning Out Of Control
The United States needs to take note. This virus is such a threat because it is both highly infectious and lethal, and not enough people are being tested, despite significant recent effort by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. By the time cases are confirmed, significant community transmission has likely already occurred. This is a classic tip-of-the-iceberg phenomenon. It's also akin to looking at a star; the light we see today was emitted some time ago. But the most useful comparison now is to a fire that threatens to burn out of control. It is one we can still contain, even extinguish — if we act. (Tom Bossert, 3/10)

The New York Times: Social Distancing May Be Our Best Weapon To Fight The Coronavirus
"Social distancing" might sound like an emotional phase in early adolescence (it certainly was for me) but in reality, it's a public health term describing our best defense against the coronavirus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this pathogen can spread "between people who are in close contact with one another (within about six feet)." That close contact has carried the virus across the planet, killing at least 4,000 people and infecting over 110,000 (that we know of). Until a vaccine — or even an effective treatment — can be developed, the best hope for protecting ourselves is slowing the spread of the disease. But how do we do that? (Max Brooks, 3/11)

Boston Globe: How Do We Protect Health Care Workers From The Coronavirus As They Protect Us?
Today, as health care workers on the front lines expect to treat patients with Covid-19, many health care systems and many states are reported to be unprepared. Nurses accept risks as part of their daily work with patients and families, as do ER physicians, nurses' aides, paramedics, physical and occupational therapists, and other health care workers on the front lines. But what degree of risks should they accept when resources are limited or not available? (Connie M. Ulrich, 3/10)

Fox News: Dr. Robert Siegel: Coronavirus Response Requires Several Hundred Million Test Kits – A Massive Increase
America needs to distribute hundreds of millions of test kits to identify people infected with the coronavirus now spreading around the world – a massive amount that far exceeds the number of test kits now available. Vice President Mike Pence and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said Tuesday that over 1.1 million coronavirus test kits have been distributed across the U.S. and over 4 million more will be distributed by the end of the week. Unfortunately, that number is woefully inadequate for the task at hand. (Robert Siegel, 3/11)

CNN: Working From Home Is A Lifesaver -- And A Big Danger
As the coronavirus spreads, so do cancellations of conferences, trips, flights, schools, study-abroad programs and other events. In the wake of these axed plans, employers, colleges, employers, conference hosts and attendees are scrambling to find ways to salvage the time and resources spent on the canceled events or the money lost by telling workers to stay home. However incomplete, solutions rely on technology: working remotely via Slack channels or Google hangouts, using Zoom for conference calls, videotaping and uploading lectures, sharing and storing files on Google Drive -- and other app-related workarounds. (Joelle Renstrom, 3/10)

Los Angeles Times: Panic Is Making Coronavirus Worse For Everyone
With the coronavirus spreading throughout the U.S., Americans are reacting in a variety of ways. Some of them are smart, others … not so much. Staying away from big crowds, stocking up on prescription medication and food in case of in-home isolation and washing hands frequently are all wise in the face of a pandemic that is spread through virus-laden droplets sneezed or coughed by sick people. On the other hand, hoarding enormous quantities of toilet paper, crates of bottled water or five-year supplies of hand sanitizer as if the end is nigh is irrational and unhelpful to your fellow citizens. (3/11)

NBC News: Do Masks Prevent Sickness? A Coronavirus Guide On What To Do (And Not Do) To Stay Healthy
My parents are confused and worried, and I can't blame them. Every article they read and every TV segment they watch about the novel coronavirus outbreak is dominated by pictures of people in masks. Hundreds of people at a time, all in masks. But then the surgeon general says to stop buying masks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says healthy people shouldn't wear masks, and even former President Barack Obama says to leave the masks to the health care professionals. What gives? (Leora Horwitz, 3/11)

CNN: What Matters: Coronavirus Is About To Change Your Life
If you thought coronavirus was no big deal or if you thought it was going to go away, wake up. Your life is about to change. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, issued a disturbing warning during a White House briefing Tuesday: Americans everywhere need to change the way they live their lives. Right now. (Zachary B. Wolf, 3/11)

Los Angeles Times: How To Reach The Homeless In The Coronavirus Crisis
With the broader spread of the coronavirus now inevitable, the implications for the homeless are becoming more alarming. This is especially true for California, which currently has more than one-fifth of the coronavirus cases reported nationwide and half of the country's street homeless population. (Stephen Eidemarch, 3/11)

29. Viewpoints: Leaders Need To 'Stop Lying' To Us About The Seriousness Of Coronavirus; Top Politicians In U.S., China Looking For Victories

Editorial pages focus on these topics surrounding the coronavirus.

Fox News: Tucker Carlson: The Coronavirus Will Get Worse -- Our Leaders Need To Stop Lying About That
Nobody wants to be manipulated by a corrupt media establishment -- and it is corrupt. And there's an election coming up. Best not to say anything that might help the other side. We get it. But they're wrong. The Chinese coronavirus is a major event. It will affect your life. And by the way, it's definitely not just the flu. In a typical year, the flu in this country has a mortality rate of about one in a thousand. The overall death rate for this virus, by contrast, is as high as 3.4 percent. That's 34 times deadlier. (Tucker Carlson, 3/11)

The Washington Post: Trump And Xi Both Hunt For Coronavirus Victories
The global crisis sparked by the spread of the coronavirus is fraying the already strained ties between the United States and China. In Washington, a coterie of top Republican officials and right-wing media pundits keep qualifying the epidemic as a "Chinese" or "Wuhan" virus. Not surprisingly, Beijing officials have reacted angrily to U.S. attempts to "stigmatize" their country. Meanwhile, on the Chinese Internet, conspiracy theories proliferate about the origin of the disease, including some pinning it all on the dastardly Americans. (Ishaan Tharoor, 3/11)

The Wall Street Journal: Why A Pandemic Is Always Political
People who follow politics for a living are voicing shock—shock!—that the coronavirus outbreak has been politicized. "Is Even the Coronavirus Partisan?" asked a recent FiveThirtyEight podcast. Jeez Louise, folks, of course it is. And here's an argument for why it ought to be. Making political hay of health scares is a commonplace activity that's also unfailingly bipartisan. Democrats complained that President George W. Bush was too slow in responding to the West Nile virus and SARS outbreaks that occurred in his first term, and talking points to that effect became part of John Kerry's presidential campaign in 2004. (Jason L. Riley, 3/10)

The Hill: How Politics Infected America's First Epidemic And Cost Lives
Politics has infected discussion of the novel coronavirus, especially on social media. When Democratic Denver City Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca expressed solidarity with this tweet: "For the record, if I do get the coronavirus I'm attending every MAGA rally I can," she received a swift rebuke. "The depths to which Democrats are sinking to politicize coronavirus is disgusting," Republican National Committee Rapid Response Director Steve Guest responded. CdeBaca clarified her comment as sarcasm. Given today's polarized political climate and lack of impulse control on social media, it's easy to assume that this is the first time politics has tainted a public health crisis. In fact, politics infected America's first epidemic and cost lives. (Jane Hampton Cook, 3/10)

The New York Times: Joe Biden Beat Bernie Sanders. But So Did The Pandemic.
There are two stories about how Joe Biden's campaign, given up for dead two weeks ago, stormed back to take control of the Democratic primary, effectively burying the Bernie Sanders movement that had briefly seemed poised for an insurgent victory. One is for the pundits; the other, I suspect, is for the history books. The pundit's story analyzes the Democratic primary in terms of the Sanders campaign's strategy, which seemed to assume that it was possible to win the party's nomination as Donald Trump won the G.O.P. nomination in 2016 — as a plurality candidate in a divided field who gradually brings the reluctant majority along when no other candidate can consolidate a larger coalition. (Ross Douthat, 3/11)

The New York Times: Everyone's A Socialist In A Pandemic
All it took was a global epidemic of potentially unprecedented scale and severity and suddenly it's like we're turning into Denmark over here. In the last few days, a parade of American companies that had long resisted providing humane and necessary benefits to their workers abruptly changed their minds, announcing plans to pay and protect even their lowest-rung employees harmed by the ravages of the coronavirus. (Farhad Manjoo, 3/11)

NBC News: Coronavirus In The Trump Era Proves Nationalism's Worse Than Globalism For World
The coronavirus epidemic is an economic calamity of historical proportions. The stock-market collapse Monday rivaled the worst days of the 2008 financial crisis. Oil prices dropped faster than at any time since the Persian Gulf War in 1991. The yield on U.S. bonds approached zero percent, the lowest ever. It needn't have happened, not at this scale. (Kevin Carmichael, 3/11)

The Washington Post: GOP Congressman — Who Warned Trump About Pandemics — Offers Pointed Criticism Of Proposed CDC Cuts
This was the day Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) has been warning about — and essentially predicted. Back in 2017, when the Trump administration first proposed steep cuts to programs that handle disease outbreaks, Cole said, "I promise you the president is much more likely in his term to have a deal with a pandemic than an act of terrorism. I hope he doesn't have to deal with either one, but you have to be ready to deal with both." (Aaron Blake, 3/10)